Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul
If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jenna sat at the bar sipping on a Marguerita alternating between worry over Anna’s disappearance with Jared, and trying to shake the feeling she was being watched. She glanced over her shoulder for the tenth time in twenty minutes.
When her aunt had called it a night she’d been too restless to go back home. She kept kicking herself for abandoning Anna when she did. though she couldn’t have known her friend was on the verge of heat. There likely wasn’t much she could’ve done to help the situation anyway.
She pushed her chair back and started towards the ladies room, stopping after a few steps. The “watched” feeling was getting stronger. Scanning the patrons she couldn’t see anyone worthy of suspicion so she shook it off and continued towards the back.
She took care of business and came out of the restroom running smack into a solid wall of masculine chest. She cried out in startled fear as large hands gripped her wrists and kicked out at him blindly. She was about to shout for help when she heard his chuckle and instantly knew its source. Her heartbeat slowed and anger replaced fear as she looked up. Her eyes traveled the length of his tattooed neck before focusing on the amused face of the male who haunted her dreams.
“Mathias,” she hissed irritably, “what the hell are you doing here?”
He smiled widely as he released her. “Can’t I visit a friend?”
“Oh, do you have a friend in Jersey?” she asked sweetly.
“Don’t be like that sweetheart, you know you’ve missed me.”
She snorted. “Like I’d miss a toothache.” Even as she said it she knew it was a lie, his gorgeous face was on her mind far more than she would like to admit.
His expression turned serious and she cocked a brow in question.
“Have you heard anything from Anna?” he asked.
She sighed and shook her head.
“Let’s go have a drink,” he took her arm and led her towards the bar. When they reached the stools she pulled from his grasp forcefully and he chuckled again.
Before she could make another biting remark he launched into the details of the plan he and the other males had formed, explaining that it was his job to scour U.S. cities for vamps.
“You think there are vampires in Jersey?” she asked skeptically.
He shrugged, “It’s hard to say, my kind is scattered. I know they reside in places like Vegas and ‘Orleans but I tend to think the kind of males hanging out in those cities are not the kind I’m looking for.”
She smirked, “Oh I don’t know, if I didn’t know you I would imagine you spent your days in casinos and whore houses, I’m sure there are plenty of Mathias’s to be found there.”
He put a hand over his heart his expression one of mock hurt. “You injure me deeply.”
She snorted. “I doubt that.” As she looked at him his expression turned lazy, his eyes hooded. She found herself running her fingers through her long black hair in a self-conscious gesture and yanked them out to grip her drink.
He smiled widely, his eyes sparkling with humor. “You want me Jenna, why fight it?”
“Not if you were the last man…male thing on earth.” she glared at him, her violet eyes narrowing to slits.
“Male thing? The males of my race are far superior to your puny men, which is why you can’t help but get wet when you think of me. Don’t bother denying it, I can smell it.”
She brought her legs together and made a disgusted face. “Ugh, could you be any more crude? On what planet do statements like that get you laid?”
He grinned at her. “I could be between the legs of a female in less than fifteen minutes if I wanted.”
“A slut’s maybe.”
His grin widened and he scanned the bar. “That one over there for instance.” He gestured towards an attractive curvy blonde sitting at a table in the corner.
Jenna felt a flash of jealousy and squashed it hard. She looked at the woman discreetly and saw that she was well-dressed and did not give off the slut vibe. She shook her head, “Nope, out of your league.”
Mathias raised a brow at her. “Willing to make a wager?”
“She’d take one look at your grotesque tattoo and tell you to get lost,” she eyed the ink snaking up his neck. Grotesque was a little much. In fact the symbols were fascinating, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Name the terms,” his clear green eyes glinted with challenge.
Jenna thought about it. “Fine. You have to get her to kiss you within fifteen minutes of approaching her, WITHOUT telling her about the bet or any other underhanded bullshit.”
“If I fail?”
“You have to jump up on the bar and do a strip tease and you can’t get down until you’re bare assed, no dimming allowed.” Jenna grinned and sat back.
“Me thinks you just want to see me naked.”
She made a face at him.
“And if I win?” He cocked a brow.
“Then…
“Uh uh, my turn. If I win we go to the nearest hotel and you strip tease for me and once your naked I get to kiss you senseless.” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip.
“Hell no!”
“Okay, so admit I can have any woman I want.”
“Don’t think so.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
Jenna frowned. “I get to keep my bra and panties on and you keep your hands at your sides when you kiss me.”
Mathias regarded her thoughtfully. “My hands will stay in your hair and it’s a deal.”
“Done.”
Mathias ordered up two shots and drank them in quick succession. With a victorious smile he set the glass down and strode towards the unwitting blonde.
Jenna watched him nervously. No way will she kiss him, not after seeing him over here with me, she thought hopefully. A couple minutes later he walked up to the far end of the bar and ordered a couple of drinks taking them back to the table and Jenna cringed. The blonde was smiling at him as he sat back down. Shit, Jenna thought, come on blondie, don’t let me down.
A couple minutes after that the woman was laughing and Jenna thought seriously about hiding. Stupid blondes, why are they always so easy, she thought irritably.
She had to concede her error. She’d forgotten how utterly beautiful he was at first glance. Tall, obscenely muscular, flawless golden skin, emerald green eyes, the face of an angel…Damn it he was right, vampire males were far superior to most men physically, even without the knowledge of their superhuman powers.
Glumly she watched him lean in and twirl a lock of her blonde hair, his mouth coming close to the woman’s ear. She blushed prettily and he brushed his lips over her jaw line.
Jenna felt a chill snake up her spine as she imagined him doing that to her, what those silky lips would feel like there…and in other places.
What the hell is wrong with me! Panic rushed through her. She checked her watch shakily, he still had six minutes and though he’d backed off for a moment the woman’s expression was sultry and inviting. He would win hands down.
She pictured herself nearly naked and pressed up against him, his lips covering hers, his hands gripping her hair…and before she knew it she was leaping from her chair and fleeing the bar.
She waved a cab down frantically and scrambled in, hurriedly giving him her address. She lay down across the seat staying out of sight.
“Someone chasing you miss?” The cabbie asked in concern.
“Uh, I don’t know, do you see anyone?”
“No, didn’t see anyone leave the bar after you if that’s where they’d be coming from.”
“Oh. Good. Thanks.” She sat up but kept low while her heartbeat settled down into a more normal rhythm.
She’d just reneged on a bet. Never in her life had she done that, her conscience wouldn’t allow her to break her word no matter what it was about. And yet this time she was fully capable of it, though she was completely delusional if she thought he wouldn’t call her on it. He had found her in the bar, he obviously knew where she lived. She ran a hand through her hair nervously. He wouldn’t force his way into Harriet’s, would he? No, if Harriet didn’t let him in he’d respect that. Right? Of course that meant she had to wake her aunt and explain the situation which totally sucked.
I’m making too big a deal out of this, she thought. Why not just honor the bet? What was the big deal about showing a little skin and letting him kiss her?
Yeah, right. She couldn’t imagine doing a strip tease, she’d never even done that in the privacy of her own room. It wasn’t her style. She might look like she could be sexy but she had no actual idea how to act like it. On top of which she despised him. Didn’t she?
Fuck Jenna! She yelled at herself. You’re being a big fucking coward! And you could act if you wanted to, in fact you could act like strip teasing was something you did on a daily basis. It’s all in your mind.
She chewed on that for a minute. She did know how to dance, in fact she was pretty good at it, had natural rhythm. What could be so hard about dancing while you removed your clothes? And as soon as the kiss was over she could get dressed again leaving him with blue balls. A smile crept across her face at the thought. Getting the big freaking jerk worked up would be almost worth it.
The cab rolled to a stop in front of her aunt’s and she sighed. If she got out here she would have to come up with a feasible excuse for running out on him or he would goad her relentlessly for being afraid.
She steeled herself and looked at the driver who was waiting expectantly. “I’m sorry about this, but would it be too much trouble for you to take me back?”
He raised a brow. “Are you sure about that?”
She nodded resolutely.
He shrugged, “It’s your nickel.” He went around the block and headed back to town.
Generously created for me by @son-of-satire