The Unnecessary Bodyguard Read online

  “You’re a dhampir,” she said.

  His sensual mouth curved into a slow smile that produced a flurry of sensations all over her body. He inclined his head in affirmation.

  “Well, I’ve never met one before.”

  Amusement pulled at the corner of his mouth as he produced a business card. “I want you to call me whenever you plan to step outside after dark—any day.”

  She took it and glanced at the name. Jovan Markovic. Director of Security Operations. “Director? Why didn’t you assign one of your employees instead?”

  “Things were arranged very quickly, and like I said, it’s a favor to a friend.” He said this with a casual shrug of his broad shoulders.

  “Right, but the fact is I don’t feel comfortable having someone watch my every move, and I don’t put much stock in Daphne’s dreams.” Not wanting to seem impolite, she dropped the card in her bag.

  He regarded her with those unusual gray eyes that threatened to turn her insides to jelly. What the heck was it about this stranger that affected her this way? To her relief, he broke the contact and indicated the car. “Get inside, and I’ll follow you home in my car. I take it you are going home?”

  “Yeah, I’m beat, but there’s no need for that. I’ll be safe.” Even so, a part of her wanted him to follow her home, not ready to cut the connection yet.

  “I insist. It’s my duty,” he replied and waited for her to get into the driver’s seat.

  She slid the window down. “Jovan. You ought to charge Daphne for this, you know. She can afford it.”

  A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as he crossed the street to a black Land Rover.

  * * * * *

  Jovan fixed his gaze on Nina’s car ahead. He tried to convince himself that the only reason for his concern was the young woman’s well-being. He gave up after some time, admitting that she’d intrigued him from the second he’d looked into her frightened face. She was one of the loveliest women he’d ever seen. A tumble of dark, long waves framed her heart-shaped face. When he was standing next to her earlier, he experienced an almost uncontrollable urge to dig his fingers into those shiny locks and bring that delectable, rosy mouth to his. Her dark brown eyes were intelligent and spirited, yet they carried a certain vulnerability that had shifted something inside him. And, he was willing to bet that under that thin coat were supple curves made for a man’s touch.

  He clenched his jaw as his cock thickened uncomfortably in his pants. Jovan was a virile man, yet he was surprised at the intensity of his reaction to this woman. A lack of sex wasn’t the case. He’d been with a lusty dhampir just days ago. So what was it about this petite brunette that made the blood surge in his veins? He pictured her half naked on his bed, her long hair spread out over the pillow. A mistake. Need curled like a tight fist in his groin. He shifted in the seat. He thought he’d sensed her interest in him, but reasoned that she’d been affected by the nature of their encounter. Nonetheless, he knew enough to recognize her disciplined nature. His lifestyle would disrupt the order of her life. Don’t even go there, something warned.

  She pulled into the front drive of a modest, semi-detached townhouse and cut the engine. It was located in a quiet suburban neighborhood. He slowed the car and watched her come out. She gave him a brief wave and walked up the short path to the steps. Once she was safely inside, he drove away, aware that the smartest thing to do was to assign one of his men to this job. He barely knew her, and already his thoughts had crossed the professional line.

  He pulled a self-mocking smile. But you won’t assign anyone else. You’ll barely let her out of your sight.

  * * * * *

  The following afternoon, Jovan filled four glasses with Merlot and handed three to the small group of men. They settled themselves in the living room.

  Dejan slid up closer to the edge of the sofa. “Our informant has picked up on some disturbing activity within that non-conformist clan out in Peoria. They’ve been showing signs of embarking on a campaign for at least a couple of months now—beginning with small, quiet meetings within the high ranks and such. Three weeks ago, a young man went missing in the area. Before that, a young woman.” He gave a meaningful pause. “I’m almost positive the case of the missing college students is related.”

  He was referring to a morning news report about two college students that were reported missing a few days ago.

  Milan studied the deep-colored wine as he swirled it. Apart from his green eyes, his resemblance to Jovan was remarkable. “It’s no secret they’re angry about their dwindling numbers and our constant pressure. It could be retaliation.”

  “Hmm, I suspect there’s more to it than that,” Dejan countered.

  “I agree,” Sebastian added, his long, pale fingers cradling the wine glass. “The leader of this particular group is calculating. He won’t do anything unless it serves a particular purpose. Retaliation for the sake of it doesn’t fit.” If anyone was an authority on the subject, it was Sebastian—a vampire himself, though conformed.

  Jovan massaged his jaw as he mulled over the facts. “The profiles of the missing people are similar, all young and healthy, with no apparent reason to disappear. No bodies yet to be found. We know that vamps who kill to feast generally leave the bodies behind. So, if there’s a connection, chances are these young people are alive, and we need to locate them and find out why they’re keeping them alive.”

  “They might be turning them, like that clan in New York about five years ago,” Milan suggested. “Doing it cautiously, a few people at a time.”

  “If that’s the case, we can’t risk any more victims. It looks like we need to arrange a day raid with Special Forces,” Dejan said.

  Jovan tossed back the rest of his drink and let out a gruff sigh. This was precisely why he shouldn’t complicate his life further with beautiful females. Following this thought, his mind drifted to Nina as it had several times since last night. Daphne had outlined Nina’s routine, assuring him that she seldom went out on Sunday evenings. Still, it wasn’t a chance he would take. And, he wouldn’t bother denying the fact he hoped to see her tonight.

  Chapter Three

  “Are you trying to ruin my life?” Nina asked Daphne while peering out her front window with the phone pressed to her ear.

  “Of course not! Why would you say such a thing?”

  “Because there’s a rather good-looking dhampir stationed outside my house, in his car. This is ridiculous, Daphne.”

  “I’m just making sure you’re safe, Nina,” her friend huffed.

  “You’re worried, and I appreciate your concern, but it’s unnecessary.”

  “Well, I think it’s very necessary. I’m still having dreams, so stop being stubborn about it.”

  She pushed out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t even go out on Sundays.”

  “I told him so, but I imagine he senses your uncooperativeness.”

  Nina’s eyebrows hitched up. “You did?” An idea entered her mind.

  “Yes. He’s a good friend of Tim’s, and it seems he takes this situation seriously.”

  “Em, sure, hon. Thank you for him—I mean, the bodyguard.”

  “Think nothing of it,” Daphne said.

  “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “Goodnight, darling.”

  Nina collected her bag and her coat. It was impossible to sit here knowing he was out there. She couldn’t focus on anything—not even a TV show. Stepping outside, she ignored the Land Rover parked across the street and got into her car. She allowed herself a mischievous smile. “Time for a bit of fun.”

  She pulled out of the drive, pleased to see his car headlights go on. She drove through her neighborhood while he followed several yards behind. As she approached the first busy intersection, she timed it so that she’d go through on a yellow light about to turn red. Instead of slowing down, she accelerated, leaving Jovan no choice but to stop at the light.

  Nina chuckled, picturing his reaction. She turned into the next street
and pulled into the parking lot of a liquor store. As she got out, the Land Rover swung round the corner. Pretending not to notice, she locked the car and went into the store. She walked over to the wine section and searched for one of her favorite Italian brands.

  As soon as he approached, her body prickled in awareness. Still, she focused her attention on the row of bottles.

  “That wasn’t very smart, Nina.” The edge in his velvety voice sent thousands of warm goose bumps over her skin.

  She turned to him with what she hoped was a genuine look of surprise. “Oh, Jovan. What are you doing here?”

  Displeasure flashed in the gray eyes. “You know exactly what I’m doing here.” He paused as his gaze fell on her mouth. This time, she couldn’t help moistening her lips. A muscle clenched in his jaw as his scowl deepened.

  She let out a short sigh. “Sorry. I was just having some fun. Look, this isn’t comfortable for either one of us. I can’t relax knowing you’re sitting outside my place in your car for hours....”

  He raised a dark eyebrow.

  “So, I thought, ‘Why don’t I grab some wine and invite you in for a bite to eat.’ That way, we can chat, have a normal evening, and you can still do your job.”

  “That’s not a good idea.”

  She thought for a moment. “Okay, how about you accept my invitation, and I promise to call you whenever I decide to go out at night? That way you don’t have to wait around for nothing. And I promise to be honest about it.” She tacked on this last part before he could respond.

  His eyes darkened. The flash of danger she caught in the depths fired something primitive inside her, as it had the first time she met him. She knew she was crossing a boundary she shouldn’t. This man spelled trouble for her. Still, she tilted her chin up in gentle challenge.

  He gave her a final disapproving look as his eyes shifted to the shelves of wine she had been looking at. He stepped back and walked a few feet down the aisle before selecting a bottle of red wine. Then he turned to her. “We might as well do this right, then.”

  * * * * *

  “This is really good,” he said after swallowing the second morsel of roast lamb.

  His remark barely registered. This had to be the most erotic dinner she’d ever had. Besides the delicate explosion of flavor in her mouth, her senses were in overdrive just sitting at the same table with Jovan Markovic. He truly was a gorgeous male specimen. The second he’d removed his jacket, her gaze devoured him, taking in his lean frame—undoubtedly packed with tight muscle—narrow hips, and powerful thighs. She’d averted her flushed face when she’d lingered on the bulge of his groin. The interest wasn’t one-sided. She was keenly aware of his gaze as it moved over her body in the fitted white sweater and slim designer jeans, lingering too long on her breasts and legs.

  Yep, you could definitely cut the sexual tension like the slice she made in her meat. Recalling his comment, she smiled. “Thank you. It’s my aunt’s recipe. She’s an amazing cook.”

  He took a sip of wine. “Do you cook often?”

  “As much as I can. I’m not into take-out or frozen food.”

  “Unfortunately, my range of culinary skills is limited to about six dishes.” He offered a slanted smile.

  “Well, you have great taste in wine.” She brought her glass up for another sip.

  “You can’t go wrong with a Nebbiolo grape—classic tar and roses taste.” He regarded her for a thoughtful moment. “Daphne told me you’re a freelance personal assistant.”

  “Yes. I recently completed a contract, so I’m sort of on vacation.” She paused. “This security company you work for… Does it provide only bodyguard services?”

  “It’s my company, actually. I employ about forty people, all highly trained. We cover most kinds of security needs—social events, commercial building guards, and personal bodyguards. Some of our clients are government officials and the occasional celebrity.”

  “Wow. You must be quite busy.”

  “I am.”

  She watched him dab his sensual mouth with a napkin, wondering what it would feel like against hers. She cleared her throat. “And here you are as my personal bodyguard. I’m sure there are more important things you’d rather do.”

  Gray eyes flickered with emotion she couldn’t read, yet he held her gaze. “I know how to prioritize.” Amusement played around his lips.

  Was it the comment or the way he looked at her that made color flood her cheeks? “Em...that’s not all you do. I mean, you’re a dhampir. Tell me more about that.”

  A shutter fell over his eyes. “That’s a dark world you don’t need to know about.”

  An intense urge to know everything about him gripped her. “Please, I’m really curious.”

  He shook his head and stood up, placing her empty plate on top of his before she could react. “This was delicious, Nina, thank you.”

  “You’re my guest....”

  He dismissed her protest with a shrug of his broad shoulders and walked over to the kitchen area, depositing the plates in the sink. When he turned to her, his expression was resolute. “I should go.”

  And you should let him go, warned the tiny voice in her head. You’re asking for trouble. She was heedless, gripped by an inexplicable response to this man.

  “I’m not making a pass at you. Please, just a bit longer.” She refilled both glasses and indicated the living room. “I don’t have dessert, but we can digest the meal on the sofa.”

  He hesitated for so long that she was afraid he would decline. Finally, the warmth of his fingers brushed hers as he took the glass, making her pulse jump.

  “After you,” he said.

  Without thinking, she settled into the loveseat, realizing too late that it would bring them in close proximity. When he sat, their knees almost touched. He turned toward her. Her skin flushed under his intense look, but she was determined to find out more about him and his mysterious side.

  “So, are you from Chicago?” she began.

  “Born and raised.”

  “Family?”

  “Two brothers and our mother. My father passed away several years ago,” he added on a somber note.

  Her heart gave a little squeeze. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “And you?”

  “I have one brother—my folks are divorced, but thankfully well.” She took a long sip of wine before probing further. “Tell me about that dark side of your life.” Dhampirs and their activities seldom appeared in the media.

  “Nina,” he objected.

  “It’s only fair that I know certain things about my bodyguard. Tell me about it.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “You’re a stubborn girl.” He paused. “All right. I belong to an organization whose mission is to eliminate the danger that deadly vampires pose to people. We investigate any type of suspicious activity within vampire clans—we keep tabs on them.”

  “And you hunt them, of course—that’s a known fact.”

  “We hunt vampires who refuse to conform as most have. They either kill their victims or turn them into vampires.”

  “I guess you kill those?”

  He shook his head. “Rarely. We used to years ago, but a new law has passed in the government. As any group will retaliate if it’s under constant threat and attack, it’s preferable to send a vampire through rehab, which is a generally painless procedure of altering some of the DNA to destroy the need for human blood.”

  “Is it true that the conformed ones drink animal blood?”

  “They eat raw animal meat, more precisely. There are specialty butchers across the country.”

  “That’s interesting. And...do you consider all vampires an enemy?”

  “Only the ones who kill. In fact, I have a few vampire friends.” He smiled.

  Nina’s mouth dropped open. “No way. I had no idea dhampirs and vampires mixed.”

  “They’re valuable friends to have.”

  “I suppose I could see your point.” She placed he
r glass on the coffee table as an uneasy feeling crept through her. “It’s dangerous, though, this vampire-hunting.” She didn’t want to admit it, but the thought of Jovan being seriously hurt, or worse, twisted her insides.

  “Like I said, it’s dark, something most humans can’t understand about us.” He stated this as a matter of fact, yet she sensed he was erecting a wall between them.

  “That’s expected, of course, but times are changing. Dhampirs and humans are in relationships.” This was true, but her response surprised her to an extent. She wasn’t a full-blown advocate of Daphne’s new relationship.

  The warmth of his gaze moved over her face. He put his glass on the table and leaned so close that his breath caressed her cheek at the same time his earthy scent fired her senses. Her heart slammed against her chest as every nerve ending jumped to attention.

  “I believe I’ve more than fulfilled my end of the deal,” he said in her ear.

  Her breath had trapped itself in her lungs.

  “Now it’s your turn to be a good girl and call me whenever you plan to go out after dark.”

  “Yes.” It came out on a rush of breath.

  She watched, wide-eyed, as he stood up, pulled on his jacket, and closed the front door behind him.

  Nina sat in that position for about eight minutes before she gave herself a mental shake and drew in a steadying breath. Jovan Markovic was two hundred percent trouble.

  * * * * *

  He desperately needed a cold shower, yet he couldn’t subject himself to anything colder than lukewarm water at the moment. He’d much rather ease the ache by himself. He wrapped his hand around his erection and shut his eyes. “Hell,” he muttered soon after, releasing his cock. He needed female flesh. He scrubbed the bar of soap over his skin and rinsed. With a short towel secured about his hips, he stepped into the bedroom.

  Lydia would see to his need. She was more than willing. He picked up his cell phone, his thumb hovering over the speed dial button reserved for her. Seconds later, he tossed it onto the bedside table with a bitter groan. The thought of any other woman was suddenly unappealing—something he’d never experienced before. The situation was more serious than he thought.