Bait

Chapter Seven

Red transported me back to the church in his stinking duffle bag then released me to climb in their cab with a set of orders and a new identity snug in my pocket. It took a while for me to get the instructions straight. I read and re-read them. Not because they were complicated, I was just too tired to absorb anything.

First—move to the Rudas hotel. Second—don’t attract attention, then wait for Colby’s phone call. They would find out the vampire communities ’ reaction to last night’s fiasco before making further plans.

It didn’t take me long to get my stuff together and switch hotels. Working for Colby taught me how to get my ass in gear. When he wanted you to ‘mobilize’, you worked fast and carried your own stuff, or you lost it.

I took one last look at the beautiful river view from the balcony. My curiosity got the better of me and I couldn’t resist examining the building above. Maybe Rurik jumped up and climbed the building when he vanished last night. I could see there were handholds someone ridiculously strong and nimble might use. Since it was so dark last night, my eyes probably tricked me.

The riverfront entrance of the Rudas hotel divulged a drab, late 19th century industrial building, but these architectural impressions proved to be misleading. Hidden inside this retro-modern hotel lived a well-preserved ancient bathhouse built in 1578. At least, that’s what the brochure stated.

I set it back on my new desk. This place oozed with luxury. Red would have to stuff me back into that duffel bag if he wanted to send me home. I crawled onto the down filled bedding and basked in the puff of heaven.

There were so many unanswered questions swirling around my busy head. The foremost being—why did Rurik save me? If he hadn’t drugged me, I may have allowed my attraction to grow. The visit from Dragos masked something bigger brewing in Budapest. He and Rurik obviously didn’t like each other. Maybe Dragos knew of Lizzy’s attraction to Rurik. Could they be having an affair? When out of earshot, Rurik expressed his dislike for her. I decided Rurik had his fingers in too many cooking pots and was going to get burned.

I cracked my jaw yawning and rolled over to allow the sunlight to warm my face. It offered me security. No big bald Nosferatu would crawl from under my bed to suck my blood in the daylight. I smiled and watched the geometric shapes dance behind my eyelids.

I’m not sure what woke me first, the aches in my body or the urgency to use the toilet. Both were equally uncomfortable. Injuries always hurt worse the day after. My back groaned with stiffness as I made an attempt to roll out of bed. It was to be excepted when you’ve been thrown against a stone wall like a rag doll. My legs tried to cramp while I shuffled to the bathroom. I caught a glance of myself in the mirror and grimaced at what looked back at me. People with naturally curly hair shouldn’t fall asleep when it’s damp. My ponytail resembled a huge, fuzzy pom-pom on the back of my head. Rurik would appreciate my rabbit tail. My grimace transformed into a grin at the poof. When had thoughts of Rurik start making me smile?

His tenderness last night caught me off guard. It made me aware of how affection-starved I’d been. He started the evening so cold and malicious then grew into someone charming. Would the real Rurik please stand up?

The odd incident with the disappearing alley vampire bothered me. Rurik did some interesting physical feats—like getting into and leaving my hotel room, seven floors up from the ground. He could have defeated my attacker while I got the wind knocked out of me, then followed me back to the hotel.

Now Colby wanted to use me as bait for Rurik again. We both knew he’d respond, except I didn’t want to hurt him. I never dealt with an internal struggle like this. Each contract I helped Colby complete, the vampire always tried to hurt to me. None of them charmed me, attracted me, or wiped tears from my face. Seeds of doubt bloomed. How could I find out the truth?

My gut told me Rurik was different. I sighed and fluffed my pom-pom tail. Maybe I confused my libido with my gut. I wish I’d been given the chance to peel him out of his suit last night.

A growl came from my neglected stomach. I’d slept through the day and most of the evening. After I flipped through the menu and ordered room service, I picked up the hotel brochure depicting the other amenities once more. A hot, steaming bath with a massage at a genuine Hungarian bathhouse sounded right up my alley.

The entrance to the ancient section of the Rudas came through a portal arch pinched at the top like the toe of a genie’s shoe. The wooden door to the bathhouse lay at the end of this narrow corridor.

I looked forward to a long hot soak and a well-deserved night off. When I pushed at the door to enter, it remained immobile. A little sign beside it showed the hours of operation.

They were closed.

I leaned against the rough, solid, wooden door and banged my forehead on it. I shouldn’t have paused to eat. Sometimes I forgot not everyone lived on a vampire’s time clock. Now, I had to be satisfied with a stupid hot shower.

The door swung open and for a second, I became weightless before falling forward to sprawl onto the floor. I jarred my already sore body hard enough to rattle my teeth and groaned at the sharp pain.

“Rabbit! You’re not who I expected.”

The silken, sexy voice sounded familiar. I rolled onto my back to stare at the source.

A set of widened, pale, blue eyes looked down at me. I sat up, the quick movement sent spasms down my back. The muscles quieted after I stayed still.

Rurik squatted next to me. He turned his charming smile on. “I’d happily accept your company instead.” He wore a blue muscle shirt that accentuated his eyes, and a pair of faded jeans.

Instead of who? The pang of jealousy that accompanied the thought amazed me. I scrabbled up to my feet. “I thought the bathhouse was closed.”

Fluidly he stood with me. “To the general populace it is. Those of us who are—” his grin grew, flashing fang “—daylight challenged, come here after-hours.”

Even dressed casually he was easy on the eyes. He reached to lay a bare touch to my forehead where I felt tender from knocking my head. “It’s an odd way to knock on the door. Most people use their knuckles.” He lifted my hand to exhibit the correct tools for the job.

My eyes narrowed. “I read somewhere, that’s how they knock here. So, when in Budapest, do as the Hungarian do.”

His startled laugh at my wiseass remark made him seem more human. He lowered his face, laughter still shining in his eyes. “I’ll remember that the next time I knock at your door.”

“Next time? I don’t remember you knocking last night.” The huskiness of my voice made it a whisper.

“No, I didn’t.” He stood so close I could smell the mild spice of his cologne. His face was almost too handsome to look at.

A thrill of anticipation ran through me right down to curl my toes.

“How did you find me, my little surprise?”

I placed a hand against his chest, reluctant to keep him from closing the gap. “I wasn’t looking for you.” No breaths or heartbeat moved against my hand. Only warmth radiated from beneath his shirt. He must have fed. “I’m sore from running last night. I wanted to soak in a hot bath.” His heart may not be beating but mine drummed.

“So you knocked to come in?”

I chuckled, feeling the heat of color rising to my cheeks. “Well ... I was, actually, banging my head in frustration. It didn’t occur to me to knock.”

He stepped forward to touch my frizzed out ponytail. His proximity caused me to step back against the door, closing it. “Scary hair.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“Such frustration should not be left unfulfilled, especially if it will lead you to bang your pretty head.” He pulled me from the door and stepped in behind me.

A middle-aged, plump woman watched us from across the room. She wore her dark, gray streaked hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wasn’t much taller than me. The bulk under her dress gave me the impression she could wrestle me down and tie me into a pretzel without breaking a sweat.

He spoke Hungarian to her, then to me in English. “Pembe will bring you to the bathing room.”

“Rurik, I’ll come back in the morning. That way I can get a massage afterward.” I reached around him for the doorknob but it wouldn’t budge. He’d locked it.

I didn’t want to stay. Rurik stirred up desires I thought dead. It mixed with conflicted emotions from my job and lost loved ones only to make me miserable. For once, I needed to feel good. Not happy, I don’t remember happy, but tranquil, like at the church yesterday. That one of the walking dead could raise lust or more from me made me cringe.

It wasn’t a recipe for a relaxing night.

“Pembe is an excellent masseuse. Please, I see you’re sore and feel responsible for your pains. You have my protection, once again, while in this bathhouse.”

I’m such a sucker for a pair of pretty eyes. He batted his thick lashes at me and my resolve to leave crumbled. Good thing he wasn’t human, I’d probably throw myself at his feet. Oh yeah, I already did.

Pembe snapped her fingers at me then pointed at a hallway entrance. “Follow,” she ordered in a thick Hungarian accent.

I walked through the reception area and glanced back at Rurik. “Quick,” She snapped and made me jump.

His amused smile curled even more.

Pembe led me down a hall and handed me a canvas slip she pulled out of a basket. The changing area consisted of curtained off cubicles, each with a small cot for resting after the bath and massage.

I changed into the slip. It came down to my knees, one of the advantages of being short. I carried out my folded clothes but she took them from me, scolding as she placed them back in the cubicle. Maybe she thought the louder she spoke the better I’d understand.

She led me into a little slice of heaven.

Inside the main bathing area, green marble columns supported a low dome. It rose above an octagonal pool at the room’s center. Each step through the dimly lit roseate granite hall swallowed me deeper into a steamy fog. Cut into the dome overhead were small hexagons, plugged with blue, yellow, and red stained glass.

These people knew how to live. The grin spreading across my face made my split lip ache. Bet Colby and the boys weren’t having half the fun I planned on having.

The air cleared a little around us so I could see that we weren’t alone. Others soaked in the pool. The daylight-challenged kind of people, I assumed.

Pembe stood next to me. She waved to the pool. “Go?”

I needed to express to this Hungarian speaking, assertive woman there was no freaking way she could get me into a pool full of vampires.

I pointed to the pool. “Too many people.”

She shook her head, not understanding.

I placed two of my fingers by my own teeth like make shift fangs.

Her eyes widened before the room boomed with her laughter. She thumped me on the shoulder in good-natured way but nearly knocked me off my bare feet. Maybe she didn’t know. Then she either thought I tried to joke, or I needed to be placed in a crazy-house.

I glanced around looking for inspiration on how to explain what I wanted. My communication skills lay back in my suitcase, in the form of a Hungarian/English dictionary. We needed a translator. “Rurik?”

Pembe glanced at the pool then at me then raised an eyebrow.

“Rurik?” I repeated.

She shrugged and led me to a secluded sitting area.

I sat there alone in my canvas slip, disappointed in the turn of events. It never occurred to me there would be other vampires here. Rurik offered me protection but how did that work when he wasn’t around? Either way, I didn’t come to socialize. It would be in everyone’s interest if I just hunted down my clothes and escaped.

Pembe peaked around the corner and ordered, “Follow.”

She brought me further into the bathhouse and led me to a room with individual marble tubs. Hot, steaming water brimmed to their edges and a drain in the middle of the floor took care of the excess water if it should spill. Warm mist filled the air. We were alone.

This was what I wanted.

I smiled gratefully. “Koszonom.” Thank you.

She nodded and gestured for me to use the center tub. “Towel.” Then she left.

I hoped she meant to go get me one. All this wonderful, steam filled luxury caused my muscles to cramp in anticipation. I couldn’t wait to dive in. The canvas slip pooled at my feet then I hurried to the hot water. I eased into the tub and experienced what a lobster must feel when sliding into a pot.

Once immersed in the tingling water I stared at the colored glass set into the ceiling until I entered a blissful trance.

The door opened behind me. Someone passed me to place towels on a table by the tubs. I turned to thank Pembe.

Rurik stood there instead with a stack of fluffy white towels folded nicely in his arms, wearing nothing but a smile. Strong, muscular arms set the towels down. A lean, long waist met the rise of his firm ass.

I shut my mouth before I caught flies and checked for drool.

He glanced a shy look over his shoulder but the shy was pretend. “May I join you?”