Everything went black, and she felt a swirling sensation around her. Her feet stumbled onto cold concrete, and she grabbed at his coat to steady herself.
"What?" She looked around. She was no longer in Austin's apartment.
"Look below." Angus stepped to the side.
She peered over the waist-high brick wall. The street was far below, at least fifteen stories. They were on the roof of the building Angus had pointed to. "You teleported us?" she whispered.
His arms enveloped her from behind. Slowly they rose into the air. Their feet cleared the wall.
"This is levitation," he whispered in her ear. "All I have to do is drop you over the wall."
"Stop it."
"Stop yer slaying."
She closed her eyes. "You just want to protect your own kind."
"Those murdering bastards are no' my kind." They dropped back onto the cement roof. "I'm trying to save yer life."
She pushed away from him. "By dropping me off a roof?"
He glowered at her. "By showing ye how damned easy it is to kill you!" He marched away, muttering curses under his breath.
Emma stared at him. She'd always assumed his agenda was to save other vampires from her stakes, but now she wondered. Did he really care about her? She flinched when he pummeled a fist into the metal door that led to the stairwell. Even in the dark, she could see the dent he'd left behind.
"I'm sorry I frightened ye." He paced across the roof. "I just doona know how to get through to you."
"Why do you care what happens to me? Haven't you've seen thousands of mortals come and go?"
He stopped and looked at her. "I've never met a woman like you. Ye're different. Ye're... like me." He shrugged with an embarrassed look. "Well, ye're a hell of a lot better looking than me."
Emma made a face. "You think I'm like a vampire?"
"Nay, ye're a warrior. Brave and relentless. Ye spend yer nights fighting evil."
"Like... you?" Her fantasy man. Except she'd always expected him to be alive 24/7. A chilly breeze ruffled her silk bathrobe and she shivered.
"Och, ye're cold." He strode toward her. "Shall I take ye back?"
"How do you do it?" She glanced over the waist-high wall to Austin's apartment building. "Do you simply look at a place and then go there?"
"Aye, or I can hear a voice and go. If it's a place I've been before, I can remember the way without a beacon."
"So, in just a few seconds, you could be in London or Paris?"
"Aye. Would ye like to see?"
She blinked. "Now? I'm not exactly dressed."
"Then I know exactly where to take ye." His arms enveloped her. "Will ye go out with me, Miss Wallace?"
"What? I - " She grabbed on to him. "This isn't a date."
He smiled slowly. "I believe it is."
Everything went black.
Chapter 8
Angus materialized in a familiar place - the Parisian office of Jean-Luc Echarpe. Emma stumbled, and he steadied her. An alarm went off, one that Angus had installed himself, that she couldn't hear. Jean-Luc heard it, though, for he jumped from his desk with a dagger pointed at them.
"Merde." He lowered the dagger. "You should warn me when you're coming."
The door burst open and Robby MacKay dashed in, his claymore drawn. "Och,'tis you." He hit a button by the door to turn off the alarm.
"Bonsoir, mademoiselle." Jean-Luc's gaze shifted to Emma. He looked her over curiously.
Angus kept an arm wrapped around her and gave his old friend a warning glare.
Jean-Luc responded with a slow smile. "Bravo, mon ami."
"Jean-Luc, Robby, this is Emma Wallace," Angus announced, keeping her close to his side. "Emma, this is Jean-Luc Echarpe."
"The famous fashion designer?" Her eyes widened. "Then we are in Paris?"
"Aye." Angus motioned toward the kilted Scotsman. "This is Robby, who works for me and guards Jean-Luc. He's something like a grandson."
"We forget how many greats should be in front." Robby bowed. "A pleasure to meet you, miss." He gave Angus a questioning look.
No doubt, they were wondering why he was teleporting about with a mortal woman. He was usually all business. "I... thought I'd take Miss Wallace on a picnic. Could ye find us a basket of food, Robby?"
Robby's mouth dropped open. "You? On a picnic?"
Jean-Luc chuckled. "Ask Alberto. He'll know what to do."
"Verra well." Robby left the room with a stunned expression.
Angus winced inwardly. They acted like he'd never courted a woman before. Well, it had been a century or two. And it wasn't like he was courting Emma for romantic purposes. He merely wanted to gain her friendship and trust so they could work together against their common foe.
Then why did he still have his arm around her, claiming possession? He released her. "Miss Wallace needs... something to wear."
"Indeed?" Jean-Luc's eyes twinkled with mirth. "I hadn't noticed."
Emma glared at Angus and whispered, "I knew this would be embarrassing."
"Come." Jean-Luc led the way from his office. "The storeroom is downstairs. I'm sure we can find something suitable for a... picnic." He glanced back at Angus with a grin.
He was going to get teased about this for a hundred years, Angus realized. Showing up in the wee hours of the morning with a barefoot, half-naked mortal woman.
Jean-Luc showed them the official showroom where a handful of his latest creations were on display. Then he took them to a large room where rack after rack of clothes were stored.
"Oh my God," Emma whispered as she studied a price tag. "I can't afford this."
"Doona worry. I can."
Her eyes widened. "I can't accept a gift from you. It's against regulations."
Jean-Luc snorted. "Come, you two. That is no way to start a night of romance."
"This isn't a date," Emma insisted.
The Frenchman smiled. "How about this - I will loan you anything you want for the night, and Angus can return it later." He slanted Angus a teasing look. "As long as it is not torn."
Angus scoffed. "I'm no' going to tear her clothes."
"A pity," Jean-Luc muttered, then motioned to the racks. "Help yourself, mademoiselle."
"That's very kind of you." Emma wandered off.
Jean-Luc drew closer to Angus. "You old dog. I never knew you had such good taste."
Angus folded his arms across his chest. "This is business."
Jean-Luc snorted. "I wasn't born yesterday."
"I mean it. I'm gaining her confidence so she'll stop slaying."
Jean-Luc's mouth dropped open. "She's slaying vampires?"
Angus nodded. "Doona be fooled by her sweet face and beautiful body. She's a fierce and clever warrior."
Jean-Luc regarded Angus in silence.
Angus arched a brow. "What?"
Jean-Luc shrugged. "Nothing." He turned away, then muttered, "First Roman, and now you."
"There is nothing happening between us."
"Right." Jean-Luc patted him on the back. "I wish you two the best."
Angus snorted and walked away. Jean-Luc was making too much of this. He located Emma three racks down. She was studying some black dress pants.
Pants? Why did she always cover up her lovely legs? Something in a golden-amber color caught his attention and he grabbed it off the rack. "I like this. It reminds me of your eyes."
She gave it a dubious look. "It's a dress. A gorgeous dress, but I don't wear dresses."
"Sweetheart, this is no' a karate tournament ye're going to. 'Tis a picnic."
"A picnic in Paris, wearing designer clothes?" She shook her head. "It's all a bit hard to believe." She stepped closer. "Are those other guys vampires, too?"
"They're my friends, Emma. Are ye planning to kill them?"
"No, I'll behave." She swatted his arm. "Besides, where would I hide stakes in my underwear?"
He smiled. "I could pat ye down just to be safe."
"That doesn't sound very safe."
He chuckled and handed her the dress. "Will ye try it?"
Ten minutes later, she was looking grand in the golden dress with a pair of sparkly golden sandals.