He swallowed hard. They'd succeeding in making her look glamorous, but she still possessed a wide-eyed innocence, a fresh-faced, wholesome sweetness that was vulnerable and endearing and, surprisingly enough, sexy as hell.
"Are you ready?" Maggie asked.
Abigail nodded.
"You know your lines, Gregori?" Maggie asked. "First you say, 'Mortal, I have you now.' Then after she says, 'Take me,' you say, 'No, I'm tired of the same meal every night. I want something different. I want Blardonnay.' "
He nodded. "Got it."
Gordon settled into the director's chair. "Let's do it. Roll 'em."
Chapter Thirteen
Abigail was tempted to pinch herself to make sure this was all real. Vampire Fusion Cuisine. The Digital Vampire Network. And now she was about to do a vampire commercial?
At least Mom would get a kick out of this story. It was crazier than any of her audio books.
The vampire named Maggie smiled at her and motioned for her to begin. Abigail took a deep breath, then ran into the alley, not too fast since she was still wearing high heels.
A blur zoomed in front of her, blocking her, and she stopped with a jerk. Gregori? No need for her to act startled. She was startled. He'd moved incredibly fast.
He advanced toward her with the fierce look of a predator. She stumbled back, bumping into the brick wall.
"Mortal, I have you now." He planted his hands on the wall, pinning her in, then leaned forward to study her face.
A hunter examining his prey. No doubt he could hear the wild drumming of her heart. He was so close she could see the strong line of his jaw and the shadow of whisker stubble. Her gaze settled on his mouth, his wide, expressive lips; and Pru's words flitted through her mind. By George, that man can kiss.
When her gaze drifted upward, she found his eyelids lowered, fringed with thick, dark eyelashes. Her heart squeezed in her chest. Such a beautiful man. Why did he have to be a vampire? She might be able to reconcile herself to him being a playboy. After all, a rake could possibly be reformed. But a vampire? As far as she knew, he could never be brought back to life.
She realized with a small jolt that while she was thinking, his downcast eyes were focused on her breasts. The rascal. Her heartbeat quickened. He looked up, and her breath caught. His eyes had lost their grayish-green tint and turned a brighter emerald color.
Good Lord, had she caused that change in him? Her emotions ricocheted from one end of the spectrum to the other - a strong surge of awe that she wielded such womanly power and a trembling desire that made her weak in the knees.
His right hand touched her neck, gently caressing her skin until he located the throbbing pulse of her carotid artery. He leaned forward and his breath tickled her ear.
She shivered. With his fingers, he traced the line of her artery. On the other side of her neck, the tip of his nose nuzzled her.
She held her breath, wanting, longing to feel his lips against her skin. Kiss me, please. Just once.
What was she thinking? She was standing on a set, being watched by about twenty people. She couldn't let this continue. Why didn't he say his lines?
Oh, she hadn't said hers.
She inhaled a shaky breath and whispered, "Take me."
He groaned, then drew her earlobe into his mouth. At last, his mouth on her skin. Her eyes closed as sensations washed over her. His lips nibbled a path down her neck. His fingers reached her shoulder, then trailed her necklace over her collarbone and down to her breasts.
"Your line, Gregori," Maggie whispered.
Abigail's eyes popped opened. Good Lord! She'd forgotten for a second where she was. She placed her hands on his shoulders to push him back, but then his lips brushed across her cheek. Oh God, was he planning to kiss her mouth?
His fingers curled around the strand of rhinestones, and his knuckles nestled in the valley of her breasts.
"Gregori!" Maggie hissed.
"Cut!" Gordon shouted.
With a jerk, Gregori released her necklace. His gaze lifted to her face.
Red glowing eyes! "Aagh!" She pushed at his shoulders. "You're going to bite me!"
Gregori stepped back. "I wasn't - "
Bam! Josh body-slammed him onto the floor.
"Abby!" Madison ran toward her. "Are you all right?"
She pressed a hand against her thundering heart. "His eyes turned red! Glowing and red!"
"Really?" Madison glanced at Gregori, still pinned underneath Josh.
"I wasn't going to bite you." Gregori frowned at Abigail, his eyes returning to their usual grayish-green.
"His eyes were red?" Simone asked. "Impossible!"
"I saw it," Abigail whispered. She'd been a fool to let herself be attracted to a vampire, to think that he might want her for anything other than a snack.
"Abby, I can explain," Gregori told her, then glared at Josh. "Get off me! I could teleport away. Or throw you across the room."
Josh didn't budge. "I can't allow you to hurt her."
"I'm not going to hurt her!" Gregori shouted.
"It's true!" Maggie said as she stepped onto the set. "When a vampire's eyes turn red, it doesn't mean hunger. He wasn't going to bite her."
"That's right." Phineas gave Abigail an encouraging smile. "Chillax, dudette. He didn't want to bite you."
She wondered if she'd overreacted. "He didn't?"
"Naw." Phineas smirked. "He just wanted to jump your bones."
Her mouth fell open.
"Phineas," Gregori growled. "Let me handle this."
"I think you've scared her enough," Maggie told him, then turned to Abigail. "I'm sorry you were needlessly frightened. I would have warned you if I had known Gregori would . . . react like that."
Abigail nodded, still stunned. She didn't know what to say, but a whirlwind of thoughts kept circling in her mind. He wants you. A vampire wanted her. A playboy was attracted to her. It wasn't political. It wasn't an act. He actually wanted her.
Gregori pushed at Josh. "Will you get off me now?"
Josh slowly straightened. "I'm watching you. Keep a distance from her."
He scrambled to his feet. "I am not going to hurt her."
"No, definitely not," Maggie agreed. "The fact that his eyes turned red proves that he has . . . developed tender feelings toward her."
Phineas snorted. "That's putting it mildly."
Gregori shot him a warning look.
He shrugged. "Don't give me the evil eye. You were the one about to star in an X-rated porno flick."
Abigail gasped. He wanted her that badly?
"Oh my God," Madison breathed.
Gregori glared at Phineas. "Don't you know when to shut up?"
Phineas grinned. "We could call it Undressed by the Undead. Or Debbie Does the Undead."
"Enough!" Gregori yelled.
"C'est impossible!" Simone marched onto the set. "Gregori cannot desire a woman. He is gay!"
Abigail blinked. What?
Gregori spun toward the French model. "I am not gay!"
"Of course you are! You refused to sleep with me. You must be gay."
He clenched his fists, then released them. "Simone, the truth is . . . I didn't want you."
She gasped. "How can you say that? It is an honor to share my bed!"
"I'm sure all your lovers felt extremely honored. I just didn't want to be number five hundred and sixty-three."
She huffed. "I see how you are. You were afraid! You thought I would give you a bad ranking in my journal."
"I don't like to be judged," Gregori told her, then glanced at Abigail. "By anyone."
She winced. She'd judged him unfairly, assuming he was a playboy just because Pru and Constanza had made him sound that way. He obviously didn't sleep with every woman who wanted him. He'd refused Prunella and the model Simone. He didn't want them.
But he wants you. She swallowed hard. At last, a man who desired her as much as she desired him. The attraction was mutual.
But impossible.
Simone stalked up to Gregori. "I am the most beautiful woman on earth, but you prefer that" - she glanced at Abigail with a sneer - "that mortal to me?"
"Yes."
"You bastard!" Simone slapped him so hard he stumbled to the side. "I will never star in a commercial for you again!" She teleported away.
"Good riddance!" the director shouted. "Now we can finally do a decent commercial."
The crew cheered and applauded.
Abigail watched Gregori as he rubbed his jaw. "Are you all right?" It looked like Simone had walloped him with super vampire strength. He glanced at her, and her heart stuttered. He hadn't hesitated to confess his attraction to her.
He stepped toward her. "Abby, can we talk somewhere in private?"
"No!" Josh pulled her back. "He's not getting near you again."
"But I have to - " Abigail started.
"No," Josh interrupted her. "We're leaving."
"But Josh - " Madison whined.
"I said no! We're leaving now."
Madison gasped. "Why, Josh. It's not like you to be so . . . forceful." She bit her lip as she looked him over.
He spoke into the communicator at his wrist. "Charles, meet us out front. We're leaving now." He grabbed Abigail with one hand and Madison with the other and steered them toward the door.
Abigail glanced over her shoulder at Gregori, who was watching her with a frown. "I'll see you tomorrow night at Romatech?"
Josh halted, an incredulous look on his face. "How can you even consider seeing him again? You're not safe with him."
She pulled her arm from Josh's grasp. "It's my decision, not yours."
His eyes narrowed. "It's your father's decision, and when he finds out what happened here - "
"Nothing happened!" The beginning of panic seized hold of her. If Josh told her father to cancel the alliance, then her trip would never happen. "You'll report nothing."
"My first priority is your safety." He pointed toward Gregori. "You are not safe with that man."
"He'll behave himself." Abigail raised her voice. "You will behave, won't you, Gregori, in order to keep the alliance between my father and your people?"
"Yes." His hands clenched, then relaxed. "I will do whatever it takes to keep my people safe and to help Abigail successfully complete her mission. You have my word."
"There, you see?" Abigail lifted her chin. "So you will not report this . . . this accident to my father. You will not destroy his last chance to save his wife, or my last chance to cure my mother."
"She's my mother, too," Madison insisted. "If you tell Daddy what happened here, I'll tell him you're lying. Abby will back me up."
"Have you both lost your minds?" Josh spun around to glare at Gregori. "Have you done something to them?"
"No."
Josh scoffed. "Like you would tell the truth."
"He would never do that," Abigail insisted. "The Vamps need this alliance as much as we do." She lowered her voice. "Come on, Josh, you know there's no way I can sneak into China on my own. We need their help."
He shook his head. "I don't like it. I don't trust them."
"Look at it this way," she continued. "It's to our advantage that he likes me personally. He'll be better motivated to keep me safe on the mission."
"That is true." Gregori stepped toward them. "I would never let any harm come to her. I would protect her with my life."
Abigail's heart squeezed in her chest, but she didn't dare look at Gregori. She couldn't let Josh see her face soften with desire.
Josh gave Gregori a long, hard look, then turned back to her. "Very well. We will continue with this alliance for now. For your mother's sake. But you are never to be alone with him, do you understand?"
She nodded. "Agreed." She risked a quick glance at Gregori, expecting him to look relieved that she'd saved the alliance and saved his neck. Dad would not have reacted well to Josh's report of a red-eyed vampire lusting for his daughter.
But Gregori was scowling at her. Why was he angry?
"What time shall I come to Romatech tomorrow night?" she asked.
His hands fisted. "Ten o'clock."
She nodded. "I'll be there."
"Madison?" Maggie asked. "There's a casting call tomorrow night for one of the soap operas. You could audition, if you like. Phineas, too."
Madison gasped, then clasped her hands together. "Really?"
Josh shook his head. "You shouldn't do it."
"Are you kidding?" Madison squealed. "This is my chance to be a star!" She bounced up and down. "Thank you, thank you, Maggie! I'm so thrilled! Isn't this exciting, Dr. Phang?"
Phineas grinned and punched the air with his fist. "Oh yeah! The Love Doctor strikes again!"
Josh groaned. "This is a disaster."
"No," Abigail corrected him. "It's the beginning of a whole new future. For all of us."
Her gaze met Gregori's. He was still scowling at her, still watching her with a fierce, hungry look. She had no doubt he intended to keep the alliance with her father. And he intended to honor his vow to help her with the mission and keep her safe.
But his promise to behave himself?