I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire (Accidents Happen #2)

20. Twenty-Six Heartbeats

20

Twenty-Six Heartbeats

“ J ackie!” I squealed.

“Oh shit, sorry!” Lena covered her eyes and turned away, but Jackie didn’t.

“Don’t you know how to knock?” Domino wrapped the ripped sheet around my body to shield me from their eyes.

“I’m sorry, but when I hear furniture being knocked around and then a damn explosion, knocking is the last thing on my mind. Coming up in here, busting up my place.” She paused when her eyes landed on the burning fabric by the window. “My solstice curtains!!!”

“Oh, crap.” I slapped my hand over my mouth, and Domino jumped from the bed completely nude, ripped the curtain from the wall, and stomped out the flame, which left a huge burn mark on the floor.

“Son of a bitch!” Jackie stomped her foot.

When he was done, he looked up to see Jackie staring at him with fury in her eyes. He grabbed the pillow and covered himself.

RAAWRR!

Maverick, still in his cat form, pounced through the opened door and attacked Domino. The massive body of black hair flew through the air, claws aimed at Domino’s face.

“Shit!” Domino dropped the pillow to fend off his attacker. There he was, dick slapping his thighs as he fought off my cat.

Jackie laughed. Lena kept her eyes averted, and I hopped up to wrap a sheet around his waist before pulling the cat from him.

“Maverick, stop!” I fussed at the cat, who hissed at Domino again before jumping from my arms into Jackie’s.

“I’m starting to take this personally!” Domino pointed at the cat, and Maverick made a ticking noise, like a bomb counting down to another explosive episode.

“You should!” Jackie laughed and carried the cat away. “You’re paying for all the damages, vampire!”

Lena stumbled out the door with her hand still over her eyes. She bumped into the doorframe, only to run out of the room giggling like a child who’d just gotten away with stealing her mom’s favorite snack.

“That was embarrassing.” I walked over to the door and closed it.

“You covered my dick before you got the cat off me?” He laughed. “Why?”

“Hey, they’ve already seen the cat attack you. They don’t need to see your dick too!”

“I’m not embarrassed about my dick.” He looked down. “I have a nice dick.”

“Of course, you’re not embarrassed. You have no reason to be.” I looked back at the closed door and then sat on the bed. “But my friends don’t need to know everything !”

The sheet moved just above his dick, and I couldn’t help but stare. He noticed where my attention was, and the sheet lifted with his arousal.

“Keep looking at me like that, and they’re going to come back in here after I make you scream again,” he growled.

“I…” The energy rippled at my fingertips, and I lifted my hands to show him. “That might not be a great idea.”

“Okay, so I didn’t imagine that. That came from you.” Domino moved to sit beside me and get a closer look at my hand.

“Yes.” I nodded. “Whitney, now with lightning strike! That’s a cute name for it, don’t you think?”

“How?”

“That alien bloodline everyone was talking about?” I dropped my hand. “After your brother attacked, Likosa had someone rescue me. They took me back to her place, where she unlocked something inside me. Now, I have this power I’m not sure how to control.”

“Right.”

I looked around the room at my wet clothes on the floor and the tattered sheet that covered half my body. “I don’t have anything to wear.”

“Hold on.” He held a finger up, stepped back into his pants, and then vanished. I stayed there in bed, wondering what my friends could have possibly been thinking. Jackie had seen all of Domino, and if Lena hadn’t gotten at least a glance, she’d surely be filled in on the details.

When Domino returned a few minutes later, he had my bag in his hand—the duffel I’d brought from home. He handed it to me. “Let me know if there is something missing.”

I dug around in the bag for a few minutes and put together a suitable fit. “Thank you. This will work.”

“Good. Now get dressed so we can face your friends. They’re down there snickering like little girls.”

“Yeah, I figured they would be.” I looked at the blood still covering parts of my body. Did they see that too? “We really should shower.”

“Or I could lick the rest of it off.” Domino followed my eyes and grinned. “It would take a lot longer to accomplish, but it would be a lot more fun for me.”

“You need to settle down, sir.” I held my hand up to him. “They already walked in on us once. I don’t need it happening again!”

With Domino standing there looking at me like he wanted to risk taking a bite out of me, I pulled the sheet tighter around me and escaped to the bathroom across the hall from the guest room. I wasn’t in the shower but ten seconds before the vampire appeared behind me.

“Domino!” I whispered. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’m covered in blood too.” He winked. “Sharing a shower not only saves us on time but is also eco-friendly.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s why you’re here. To save water.”

“And other things.” He pulled me into his arms and cupped my ass.

His dick grew against me, and I couldn’t help myself. I reached down to stroke him.

Domino turned me around, pressing me up against the glass. The water ran down my back as he slowly slipped inside my body. It wasn’t long before I felt that energy building inside me. I turned and pushed him away.

“Wait.” I held him back.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Domino asked with genuine concern.

I held up my hand to show him the small sparks at the tips of my fingers. “I don’t think we should do this. Not here.”

“Damn.” He looked closer but jumped back when a spark lifted from my hand.

“Yeah, Jackie is already pissed. Destroying her bathroom would push her over the edge,” I said, as if my friend wouldn’t already be seething.

“Fuck.” He took several deep breaths, pushed me to the side, and washed up at hyper-speed before he disappeared from the shower.

I could still hear him cursing in the other room as I finished my shower. I laughed until I looked down and saw the blood circling the drain. His blood. I wanted to be disgusted by the sight, but I wasn’t. What the hell was happening to me? When I finished showering, I returned to the bedroom, where Domino sat, fully clothed.

“Does this mean we can’t…” He eyed me as I dried off and pulled the shea butter from my bag to moisturize my skin.

“Not until I learn how to control this.” I looked at the butter and then back at him. “Do you want me to do this somewhere else?”

“I know I can’t touch you, but you will not stop me from watching.” He waved his hand for me to continue.

I rubbed the butter across my leg and looked up at him. The man looked like he was starving, and not for blood. I almost joked about how he was being greedy, but I came, he didn’t. If I thought I could finish him off without triggering that power within, I would have.

“Slower.” His voice deepened.

“Seriously?” I chuckled. “This doing it for you?”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” I hummed and continued moisturizing my body, avoiding looking at him, since it was actually turning me on to have him watch me.

As I finished dressing, I could feel Domino's intense gaze fixed on me. After I adjusted my shirt, I glanced at him and saw the disappointment in his expression.

“Cheer up. It won’t be like this forever.” I walked over and patted his cheek. “Now, let's go face my friends.”

“Oh, right,” he grunted. “The friends again. You know there are more people down there, right?”

“What?” I stuffed my stuff back into the duffel bag and started making the bed, only to realize there was blood on the sheets. Pulling them back, I hoped like hell it hadn’t soaked through to the mattress. The relief I felt when I saw the mattress was clean of the mess was insane. I already knew Jackie was waiting to cut into me, and she would be completely valid.

“I count twenty-six hearts beating. Some of them are outside, but most are downstairs right now,” he said calmly.

“You can hear the heartbeats?”

“I’m a vampire. Yes, I can hear heartbeats. Luckily, I’ve fed, and I have control of my impulses right now.”

“And if you hadn’t?”

“Your friend would be a lot more upset with us.”

“Twenty-six. Why are there so many?” I thought about it. “The other hunters. Are you going to be okay?”

“It’s not my ideal way to spend the night, but I can handle myself.” He nodded and grabbed the duffel bag from my hand.

“I’m sure Jackie told them not to try anything.” I headed for the door.

“Doesn’t mean they’ll listen.” Domino followed.

We headed downstairs to find a house full of people. Jackie stood in the center of the open space, surrounded by men and women dressed like they were ready for combat. Domino stiffened by my side, and just as he did, all eyes turned toward us.

A moment later, a dagger flew, landing blade first in the wall just behind Domino. Had he not moved, it would have gone right through his heart.

“Hey!” Jackie called out. “I told you guys this vampire is off limits. Who threw that?”

When no one fessed up, Domino pointed to the guy who did it.

“Miguel, really?” Jackie walked over to the man.

“Hey, it’s a reflex now.” The short guy with dark, wavy hair shrugged and pointed at Domino. “Not cool, ratting me out.”

“Reflex my ass!” Jackie stomped over to him. “This is my house. I don’t need you fucking up the place.”

“Hey, I’m here to do you a favor. Chill.” He winked at her. “Besides, what do you want me to do when a random vampire shows up?”

“Keep your daggers in your belt and off my damn walls.” She paused. “That’s it. Listen up. The next person to cause any destruction to my home is going to get my foot shoved so far up their ass, they’ll be tasting the vegan nail polish on my toes. Got it?”

“Okay.” Lena stepped up to Jackie and put her hands on her shoulder. “Let’s bring this back to focus.”

“You’re right.” Jackie pumped her hands by her side, as if pushing down her growing temper, then looked at the two of us still standing on the steps.

“Come with me. Now.” She turned and stomped out of her home, and we followed her. Jackie led Lena, Domino, and me from the main house over to the guest house. Just as Domino said, there were hunters hanging around the perimeter of the property. They watched us carefully as we moved across the grounds.

Jackie dramatically entered the guest house, pushing the door so hard, it knocked against the wall. She pranced inside, holding her hands in an obvious display of the destruction. There was a large hole in the wall where a beautiful bay window once stood, surrounded by abstract paintings. I cringed at the sight, knowing Domino would be paying for it. I sure as hell wouldn’t be. Hello—unemployed!

“Now,” Jackie said once we were alone. “Talk.”

“About?” Domino asked, clearly goading her.

“I can make a list.” Jackie started counting off her fingers. “A vampire sent his zombies here to attack us. They destroyed my property. Whitney’s ass vanished and apparently went to another planet then had the nerve to come back here, only to have bloody sex before lighting a damn fire in my guest room. Is that enough, or do you need more? I can go into having a vampire on my property with a house full of hunters!”

“Jackie, I’m sorry about all of that. You’re right.” I stepped closer to her. “I—”

“Whitney, I know all this is new to you, and I get how jarring this can be, but damn. Common courtesy isn’t a new concept. What is going on with you?” she asserted. “I love you, but really, get your shit together.”

“I don’t have an excuse.” I didn’t try to make any reasoning for what happened. Everything happened so fast, and whether or not I meant to cause harm, I had. “I’m sorry, Jackie. Really.”

“Jackie, it’s not like she planned for your house to get attacked. Your people found the tracker in the car. That’s how Reddick knew where she was,” Lena offered.

“Okay, so I’ll take that one off the list, but my guestroom is on you!” Jackie pointed at me then swung her finger toward Domino. “And you, vampire.”

“I’ll pay for everything.” Domino nodded. “Send me the bill.”

“And you’ll promise to keep your blood play off my property.” Jackie scowled. “I know how you vampires are.”

“Sure.” He smirked then threw a side glance at me.

“What’s that look about?” Jackie narrowed her eyes.

“Nothing!” I panicked because I didn’t want my friends to know I was the reason things got so bloody. “We really should start figuring out how to fix this place up.”

“Yeah, we should, because Lena is sealing my house back off. You’re up and moving again, so your all-access pass has been revoked.”

“Oh, however will I go on?” Domino said dramatically.

“This is what your life will be like from now on,” Lena snickered.

Simultaneously, Domino and Jackie’s phones sounded off. They both threw up a finger and walked off in different directions to take the call.

“For two people who can’t stand each other…” I looked at Lena to make sure she got my meaning. Even standing on opposite sides of the house, they held the same serious posture as they spoke into their phones.

“Yeah, I know.” She shook her head. “It’s spooky, isn’t it?”

“We have a problem,” Jackie stated as she returned.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I take it you got the same call?” She looked at Domino, who also rejoined us.

“Yes.” He gave a tight nod.

“Okay, you’re scaring me.” I looked at Jackie. “Tell us what’s happening.”

“They have Jai.” Jackie’s words made my heart feel like it would explode in my chest. “The vampire has your sister.”