Damon (The Protectors #1)(22)

Jared whistled. “You are absolutely gorgeous.”

Nicole blushed. “If you think your flattery will get you more of my fried chicken....you're absolutely right.” She laughed and took the arm he offered. “You look very handsome yourself sir.”

“Let's get you to the ball Cinderella.” Jared grinned. If this didn't open Damon's eyes then nothing would, so to his way of thinking that made Nicole available. Jared's grin took a wicked turn.

Damon tugged at his collar for the hundredth. God, he hated tuxes, feeling more at home in his BDU's and t-shirts. Everyone was on alert knowing that this would be the best time for someone to make a hit on Nicole. She would be accepting an award tonight for her work with the kids. Yeah, that would make this the best possible time to prove a point. Damon casually looked around at the happy party goers, his hands in his pockets. Where the hell were Jared and Nicole? Pam and her date had arrived a half an hour ago. His nostrils flared thinking of Jared as Nicole's date. Well, he certainly had pushed that into happening, now hadn't he?

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Damon looked over at Sid, who sidled up next to him. It looked like he went to the same tux rental place that he had gone to. “Not in the mood, Sid.”

“Testy much?” Sid chuckled. “Let's see if I can guess those thoughts and save me a penny. You are beating yourself up for putting the lovely Nicole in the clutches of the handsome and humorous Jared, who could charm a virginal nun out of her godly habit?”

Damon rolled his eyes, but was surprised that he had hit it right on the head. “Not even close.” He totally lied.

“Really? Hummm....” Sid winked at a beautiful woman who eyed him as she walked by. “I guess I'm also wrong about the reason Jared is the one with Nicole and not you. I mean she is just a lowly human and not good enough for you. My God, we are of a warrior class and cannot have a human mate. Fates be damned that should happen.”

Feeling a headache coming on, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I really think it would piss Duncan off if I mopped the floor with your bloody corpse, so why don't you just stop talking and walk away Sid.”

Chuckling, Sid patted him on the back. “You know Damon, that's what I have always respected about you. You never were afraid to speak your mind. But you forget I can read minds too and lately you have been like a movie of the week. Haven't been blocking very well and that, my friend, is a very dangerous thing in our line of work.” Taking a swig of beer, Sid looked around. “We can't choose who we are mated to Damon, so why don't you stop fighting it and go with the flow? Work it out with her that is, after seeing my handsome puss, she still wants you. I can read her mind, but I would bet my last dollar you can't.”

Damon watched Sid walk away with his confident swagger, sliding up to the beauty he was eying earlier. Sighing, Damon turned to leave, shock stopped him cold. Jared had just walked in with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. “Jesus.” He groaned, realizing it was Nicole like he had never seen her before. Gone were her jeans and t-shirts and in place was a gown that was tight in all the right places and flowed in all the others. Her pale blonde hair had been left loose with the sides tied up into a jeweled comb in the back. Soft wisps of hair framed her face. From the top of her lovely head, to the bottom of her high heeled shoes, she was perfect. And all the instincts that drove his kind to their mates screamed “MINE”.

“Now that my friend is one hot piece of …..” Sid had stepped back to his side, staring at Nicole.

“If you want to keep those fangs, don't finish that sentence.”

“Then do something about it and do it soon, cause if you pass on that, I sure as hell won't.” Sid chuckled moving out of the way when Damon went to grab him.

Jared and Nicole made their way to Damon after being stopped a few times. Nicole's gaze kept flicking to him. She had never seen anyone so handsome. His hair was tied back and the tux looked like it was made for his fine hard body. In this room full of people she had never felt more alone in her life. She knew next to nothing about this man, yet every fiber of her being wanted him and wanted to be with him.

“Have you already talked to Duncan?” Damon asked Jared, dragging his eyes from Nicole.

Feeling Nicole's hurt rolling off her in waves, Jared seriously wanted to punch Damon in the face. What an idiot. “Yeah, I know what's up.” Jared took Nicole's hand giving it a squeeze and moved past him heading toward their table. He knew for a fact that Nicole had dressed for Damon tonight, even if she would slit her own throat before admitting it and Damon had pretty much thrown it back in her face by ignoring her.

Not looking at Damon for fear he would see the hurt in her eyes, she let Jared lead her away, the hurt starting to turn toward anger. She knew she wasn't as beautiful as the woman he was with at the warehouse, but he didn't have to act like she was nothing. He wouldn't even acknowledge her and that hurt. Determined to enjoy the rest of the evening, she sat down in the chair Jared pulled out for her and smiled up at him.

“He's an idiot.” Jared frowned as she sat down beside her.

Nicole laughed. “No he's not.” Shaking her head she put her hand on his shoulder. “Thanks for everything Jared. Don't be mad at Damon. He's your friend and I'm a big girl with a little crush.” There, she admitted it. That was the first step to getting over this awful obsession with a vampire she didn't really know.