"Like how to please a vampire."

He laughed this time, a startled laugh. "Oh baby, you already know exactly how to do that. No lessons

needed."

She smiled again. "Oh, I think I do."

She ran her hand down his sides and over his hips as she slid her body down his front until she was

kneeling before him. He watched as her hands came out to touch his penis jutting forward, steely hard, pulsating. She stroked him, studying every detail of his reaction to her fingers, the curl of them around him. The pumping strokes.

He swallowed, trying to stay calm as one of her hands cupped his testicles, the other still pumped his cock. Then she leaned forward and kissed the swollen head. His hands sank into her hair, not controlling her movements, just giving him an anchor. She kissed him again, her tongue flicking across the very top. "Do you like that?" "God, baby," his voice was ragged, "you have no idea." She licked him again. Then again. Tasting the head, the sensitive length of the underside. The head again. His hips arced forward, his head fell back against the tile wall. When her lips formed a perfect "o" and pulled him into her hot, wet mouth, his whole body jerked and he nearly came right that instant.

Instead he forced himself to calm, to just absorb that amazing, amazing feeling of her lips, her tongue, her mouth.

"Isn't... this a better... lesson... for tonight," she said between lick and sucks.

"So, so much better," he muttered roughly.

And damn, he thought, his head falling back against the shower wall as she took him fully into her mouth again. She really was such a fast learner.

Chapter 25.

Mina sat at one of the booths in the nightclub, watching the dancers on the floor below. Then she glanced around, feeling like she was being watched in return. She was. Two women sat at the bar staring at her, whispering. When they realized Mina was looking, they had the good grace to look away. Most didn't.

Mina had found herself to be the novelty of Carfax Abbey. Sebastian Young's steady woman. Apparently the first, if all the buzz was any indication.

"Hey, Mina." Greta appeared at the table. "Can I get you a drink?" Her friend smiled at her.

Mina had been very surprised by Greta's reaction to the fact that Sebastian and Mina had been at the club together for the past several nights. She'd been surprised by all the employees' reactions. They'd taken it in stride. Of course, they still didn't know she was the one who'd tried to sabotage the club. Only Nadine knew, and she didn't show any signs of holding it against Mina.

"Shit happens," the tall, gorgeous werewolf had said with a philosophical air. "You needed to see who Sebastian really was. And he has helped you, right?"

Mina had nodded with no hesitation. Yes, Sebastian had helped her more than anyone, including Sebastian, could know.

"And you've helped him, too," Nadine said. "So it's all good to me."

Mina didn't know about that. But she hoped, in some small way, she'd made Sebastian happier or something.

"I swear, girl, you are the most lovesick person I have ever seen," Greta said laughingly.

Mina blinked, realizing she hadn't answered her question.

"I think Sebastian is getting our drinks. Thanks, though."

Greta looked to see Sebastian at the bar. Sebastian spoke to Bryce, then turned and started toward them. His eyes sought out Mina's. He smiled, his full lips curling more at one corner than the other.

Would that wonderful, lazily sexy smile always make her heart do flips? She knew for certain it would. Forever.

"I take that back," Greta said with another laugh. "I think you two are equally lovesick."

Mina looked away from Sebastian, surprised by her friend's words. Greta watched his approach too.

"No," Mina said with a laugh of her own. "He's just a consummate charmer."

Greta shook her head. "No. He's crazy about you. Everyone knows it. It was bound to happen someday. I'm just glad it's someone who will be good to him."

Mina couldn't believe Greta's words. "But you yourself said that Sebastian would never settle down."

Greta shrugged, her beautiful blond hair cascading over her shoulders. "Yes, I did think that. I certainly knew he wasn't going to settle down with me. But you... "

She gave Mina a pleased smile.

"Hi, Greta," Sebastian said as he reached the table, sliding into the booth, close to Mina.

"Hi, Sebastian. How are you?"

Sebastian glanced hotly at Mina, then said, "Great."

Greta gave Mina an I-told-you-so look and waved her good-bye.

Mina watched her sashay across the room, more than a little dazed by Greta's words. Sebastian wasn't interested in settling down. Mina knew that. Yes, everything had been amazing between them. She'd stayed at his apartment since the night of the altered shapeshifting lessons. He'd even been the one to suggest that she pack enough clothes to stay for awhile.

But he'd been quite sensible about the plan.

"I don't think Donatello will be back," he'd said, "but I feel better knowing you're safe."

Not the vow of love she'd wanted. But he did make her feel safe, and she loved being with him.

Sebastian had also decided he needed to stay close to Carfax Abbey. He wanted to be sure this Donatello, whether he wasthe Donatello or another one, didn't hurt anyone else. So they spent part of their nights at the club, and part just alone together.

She hadn't expected to enjoy the club. After all, the club was overwhelming with its loud music and rowdy people. And there were the women, who flocked to Sebastian. But Sebastian had dismissed all of them with polite smiles and a few amiable words, which had surprised her. She didn't think he could have kept himself from flirting. But he hadn't. That definitely hadn't spared Mina from the angry glares, but it had spared her from having to share him. This was her time, and as long as it lasted, she wanted him to herself.

"What were you and Greta talking about?"

Mina gave him a vague smile. "Nothing." Then she added, "I feel strange having my old coworkers trying to wait on me. After all, I was one of them not too long ago."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at that. "Mina, you were never one of them. Believe me."

She turned in the booth to face him. "What do you mean?"

"Mina, my love," he said with a sheepish smile, "you were probably one of the worst waitresses I've ever seen."

Mina would have been offended, except she was too distracted by the fact that he'd just called hermy love .

"But," he added quickly, "because I happened to like you so much, I'd consider hiring you again. If you want."

Because I like you so much. That sort of deflated the elation she felt at being called his love. She had to remember that while he did like her-and she did believe a lot-he wasn't the type to fall head over heels. Despite what Greta said. What did Greta know?

"So what do you say? Are you ready to wait table again? I think I have a uniform in the backroom that would fit you."

She frowned at him, tempted to say yes.

But seeing the deliberation in her eyes, he shook his head. "On second thought, I don't think so. I'm not letting all the men here ogle my woman as she slings drinks."

She rolled her eyes at that-certain he was really teasing now.

Bryce appeared with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Mina noticed that Sebastian stiffened slightly when the friendly werebear smiled at Mina and chatted for a few moments. "And," he pulled her tight to him after Bryce left, picking up with his conversation as if the bartender had never been there. "I don't think you will have time to serve drinks. You'll be far too busy with me."

She tried to look disappointed, but couldn't. She sank against him, lifting her face to receive his kiss.

"Are we interrupting?"

They parted to see Rhys, Jane, Christian, and Jolee.

"No," Mina said quickly, feeling her cheeks flush. She'd met Sebastian's family a few times since the night of the attack, but still she felt awkward around them. Even though they were all nice, she knew they had to be wondering about her and Sebastian's relationship. And they had to be surprised that he was having whatever their relationship was with her.

And she couldn't help noticing that Sebastian always acted a little strange too. Uncomfortable.

"We decided to join you, since Christian and I are heading back home tomorrow," Jolee said, offering one of her wide smiles.

Mina slid over to offer them more room, her movement bringing her flush against Sebastian. He slid an arm around her, the action rather surprising her. "So you're heading back to the wilds of West Virginia, eh?" Sebastian said, grinning. Christian gave him a wry look. Sebastian had told Mina about how Christian had fallen for Jolee. And while Sebastian was happy for his brother, the idea still struck him as amusing. From what Sebastian had told her, Mina could see the humor of his brother, who'd been snobby, rude, and at one point downright evil, falling for a big-hearted, down-to-earth human and-Sebastian's favorite part of the story-karaoke bar owner. Well, he was torn between the karaoke bar and the fact that they lived in rural West Virginia. Although they'd apparently moved out of the trailer park where they'd met to a sprawling farmhouse. Which Sebastian still found amusing.

"Christian didn't even like our estate in Derbyshire," Sebastian had laughed as he told her about the trailer park. "And we'd had at least twenty-five servants and all the amenities of the time." Mina watched as Christian tucked Jolee against him, giving her a smoldering look that showed every bit of the love he felt for the gorgeous redhead. Jolee gave him an adoring look of her own, then touched his jaw and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"He loves West Virginia," Jolee said after they parted. "Even if he won't admit it."

"No, you love West Virginia," Christian said. "And I love you, so I live there."

Jolee rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"He loves it," she mouthed.

Mina laughed at the two of them.

"So has the club been quiet?" Rhys asked.

Sebastian nodded. "Not even so much as bickering among the clientele."

"That's good," Jane said. "I really hope Annie is okay. She was badly shaken, and understandably so."

Mina had thought about Annie often, hoping she was okay, too. She knew how hard it was to shake off

an experience like that. Although, thankfully, hers had turned out better than Mina's.

Sebastian seemed to sense her train of thought, because he pulled her closer to him and pressed a kiss to her hair. Again, the gesture, in front of his family, surprised her.

Then the conversation turned to other things: how someone named Jed, who apparently lived behind

Jolee and Christian's bar, was; when was Jane going to play them one of her always-promised but yet to be heard funeral songs on the piano in her and Rhys's apartment.

"Would you want to hear that?" Jane asked Mina, shaking her head, although she smiled at their teasing.

"You're the one who boasted you can play a mean funeral dirge," Sebastian pointed out.

Mina laughed with everyone. It was sort of funny that Rhys had ended up marrying a mortician's daughter.

"It's true," Rhys agreed with his brother. "You do keep promising."

"The undead sitting around listening to funeral hymns. You are all sick," Jolee teased.

"That's what I say," Jane agreed.

"It's bad enough that Sebastian insists on singing "I Died in Your Arms Tonight" every time he's at the karaoke bar." Jolee laughed.

Christian groaned. "That one, and 'Only the Good Die Young.'"

"Hey, those are fine songs," Sebastian defended himself. He started to sing the Billy Joel song, until Jane

clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Thank God," Rhys said.

Mina laughed at their antics. She looked around the table at each of them, amazed at the sense of family