Breaking Order

Chapter 7: "Highway"

As we made our way to the training facility under Knight Corp, we didn't run into any humans, probably because Car used his credentials to lock down the elevator which took us below the public floors to the secure lower floors where humans never ventured.

I tapped my foot as the elevator descended, and Car regarded me with a smirk. Eyes hinting at his amusement, he leaned back casually against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Impatient, are you?"

"Yes." I answered honestly.

As if struck by an idea, a mischievous look entered his eye, and he stepped nearer, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body as he pressed it against mine. "I can distract you while you wait."

He didn't even give me time to actually respond before he had me pinned against the cool mirrored surface of the elevator wall, kissing me and stealing my breath.

At first, I was going to protest out of principle. He was teasing me, after all. But...I didn't want him to stop. As long as we were in the elevator, no one would see. This was ok.

Yeah, it was more than ok.

When the elevator chimed signaling we'd arrived at our floor, I expected him to pull back, but he didn't. Admittedly, I was kind of distracted, so I didn't really notice the doors had opened until I heard a slight exhalation of air from someone.

I opened my eyes and looked beyond Carbry to see a smattering of other vampires doing their best not to stare but failing miserably.

Involuntarily pushing Car back a little rougher than intended, I scowled. My efforts didn't even make him budge, but he pulled back of his own volition when he saw what I was trying to do.

I glared as he smirked. The dick had planned this. When he saw that I wasn't laughing, he look became apologetic. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect anyone to be right there, Mer. I know how PDA makes you feel sometimes."

Ok, so I believed him that he'd expected things to be a bit more private than they actually were when the elevator doors opened, but he was still a dick. And, I wanted to get even.

Rather than pulling further away and stomping toward the locker rooms, which I'm sure is what he expected me to do, I leaned in and grabbed Car's tie, pulling him down to my level. Who cared if I was embarrassed? I had a purpose now.

I could tell from the look he gave me that he thought I was going to kiss him, but I tilted past his face, brushing his ear with my lips as I breathed out softly. Feeling his body tense in anticipation, I quietly whispered, "Remember, payback's a bitch, King Vampire."

With my warning delivered, I released Car and shoved past him without even giving myself a chance to read his expression. I grinned widely as I headed to the locker rooms. This was going to be fun.

*****

Car and I had both changed into workout clothes. I rarely saw him wearing anything but his suit, but the loose-fitting black outfit he wore looked particularly good on him. Catching me watching, he offered me a wink.

In response, I donned the most withering scowl I could manage as I took up my position on the mat opposite him. He would not distract me.

Instead of the man in front of me, I focused on preparing for the match. We had already decided we weren't going to spar with weapons, and I stretched my arms over my head theatrically warming up my muscles.

The expression he offered me as he watched my display was deadpan.

"What?" I asked innocently, "Gotta stay limber, old man."

He rolled his eyes, glancing to a viewing area behind me. "We have an audience, whippersnapper."

I lowered my arms and gazed curiously over my shoulder to see five vampires who looked vaguely familiar regarding Car and me with curious expressions.

I looked back at Car. "Oooh, kinky, an audience."

He grinned like he always did before he fired back at me for some random awesome quip. "Keep it in your pants, Meri. We've got business, you and I."

I shrugged and looked at the audience again before turning my attention back to Car who now wore a concerned expression.

"Are you sure you want to do this, a mhuirnín? I worry I might-"

"The safe word is 'pumpkin spice latte'." My words were enough to catch him off guard and make him stop short.

"I'm not fucking saying 'pumpkin spice latte'."

"Fine, just 'pumpkin spice' then."

He frowned. "Meri, I'm serious. This is real. There's a chance I could hurt you. I had hoped that after my suggestion we spar, I'd be able to convince you to just let me train with you, not actually go through with it."

Grinning darkly, I replied, "I'm serious, too. You shouldn't have offered in the first place if you were worried, and now you're gonna need that safe word, pal."

He smiled, although his concern still marked his otherwise amused face, "Are you talking smack right now?"

In answer, I simply smiled mischievously.

Car's expression told me he still thought I wasn't taking the situation seriously enough, and his concern was evident in his words, "Really. If it gets to be too much, I'm stopping. Deal, Meri?"

Car worried an awful lot, but I suppose the concession that he was going to stop if things got too rough was acceptable. He was far more powerful than me. It didn't mean I had to like the fact that he could just axe the whole sparring thing if I got a little scrape or something, but it made sense.

Frowning, I finally nodded in agreement before warning him, "But...don't hold back." 

He winked, "Never."

Man, he was threatening to throw me off my game already. Shaking my head as if to free myself from thoughts of banter, I stared down the man I loved.

The last time I'd seen him fight something was actually the first time I met him. It was the night of that Gods awful vampire party that I worked security for. Man, that felt like ages ago. In shock, I had watched Car behead another vampire with his bare hands after a battle in which they destroyed an entire forest clearing. 

Then, like the asshat he was, he had turned on me and threatened to kill me after I saved him from another vampire.

If I had told myself that I would one day be his "mate" thing, then I wouldn't have believed my own bullshit.

But, here I was, staring him down, doing my damnedest to find a weakness of his that I'd be able to exploit because I knew he'd probably win. I didn't want him to know that I knew he'd probably win, though.

He smiled as if he knew I was sizing him up before he finally asked, "Ready, love?"

Fuck yes, well. Maybe.

I was ready...maybe.