Page 54 of Ryder’s Storm

“My mom will take care of her at Scanguards. I told you she’s a doctor.”

“A surgeon?”

He evaded the question. “She’s treated all kinds of injuries in the last two decades: anything from gunshot wounds, to knife wounds, infections, and bite wounds.”

“Bite wounds?”

“Yeah, from animals,” he lied. The bite wounds had been inflicted by vampires.

“I’m amazed. I mean she’s so young. Training as a doctor takes years. How did she even have time to have three children on top of going through medical training and gaining experience in trauma medicine?”

Scarlet was smart, and while he loved the fact that his future mate was intelligent and had a healthy dose of curiosity, it also meant Scarlet would soon figure out the truth about his family and Scanguards. He had to reveal his secrets very soon, before she stumbled on them by herself, but right now wasn’t the right time. He hated having to lie to her, but he had no choice.

“She’s a great multi-tasker,” Ryder claimed. “And as I said, she’s not as young as she looks.”

“How old is she?”

He chuckled. “I can’t tell you that.” She’d been in her early thirties when she’d been attacked and turned into a vampire by her stalker, an incident which lay more than thirty years in the past.

“You don’t know?” Scarlet asked, her forehead furrowing.

“Of course I know, but Mom is of the belief that no woman should ever have to reveal her true age.” He shrugged. “Sorry.”

“She’s beautiful,” Scarlet said.

Ryder looked at Scarlet for a moment, before turning his attention back to the road. “You’re just as beautiful. If not more so. Especially with your hair loose like this.”

She laughed softly, her long hair caressing her face. “A ponytail is practical.”

“And the glasses you don’t really need?”

“How do you know I don’t need them?”

“Because you’re not wearing them now, and you’re not wearing contacts either. Let me guess: you want everybody to believe that you’re a studious little mouse rather than the hotblooded vixen you really are.”

“You think I’m a hotblooded vixen?”

He put his hand on her thigh. “Yes. But I’m okay with you hiding behind this librarian façade you’ve got going.”

“Because having a vixen as your girlfriend would be embarrassing?”

He laughed. “Not in the least. But once my friends discover what you’re hiding behind your demure front, I’m gonna have to beat them all off with a stick.”

Scarlet reached over to him, and placed her hand on his crotch. The touch made him jerk the wheel for a second, before he got his composure back.

“They’re not gonna have a chance,” she murmured. “I’ve found what I want.”

“These two cocks do come with an attachment,” he said, “me. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He pressed his hand over hers, making sure she felt how his twin cocks were filling with blood, getting hard because of her touch.

Moments later, he turned into a small alley and stopped the car. “We’re here.”

26

Ryder parked the car in a dark alley behind a row of restaurants in the fashionable and expensive Marina district. When he hopped out of it, Scarlet followed him. Perhaps she could lend a hand. She walked around the SUV, and felt chilled all of a sudden. Despite the nice weather during the day, nights in San Francisco were always cool. She was glad that Ryder had given her a jacket to wear.