“What a strange, fascinating, creepy world.”
Mike laughed. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“No one ever knows the half of anything.”
“Very true. You can never tell anyone what I’ve revealed to you.”
“Who would I tell? Who would believe me? The existence of vampires is safe with me until the day I die.”
For some reason, her casual mention of her death caused his fangs to lengthen. He’d caught and fed from two deer earlier, it should have been enough blood to keep him sated for at least the next couple of days, but hunger scorched his veins as his gaze traveled to her neck.
I will not allow her to die!But he had no choice; as a mortal, her life would run its course until the inevitable end, unless he changed her.
Never before had Mike considered creating another vampire. It wasn’t a fate he’d wish on anyone. Yes, he had a large, loving family he would die to protect, and Mike cherished every one of them, but he’d experienced far more death, violence, and uncertainty in his life as a vampire than if he’d remained human.
In some way, there was also more loneliness in his life as a vampire. He’d known a lot of women over the years, but he’d never gotten close to them, and none of them had been his mate. When he watched his friends, nieces, and nephews finding their mates and falling in love, he was happy for each of them, but a part of him was also jealous.
One day, he wanted to find someone to share his life with, and he wanted children. He didn’t require a mate to have a child, but he wanted to be bound to someone before he shared kids with them.
“Your shoulder looks a lot better,” Mollie said.
She licked the rabbit juice from her fingers as she tried to hide her unease over the fact he’d been shot yesterday, but no blood trickled from the injury anymore. What she could see of the bullet hole through his torn shirt appeared to be healed.
Mike rolled his shoulder back. It was still sore, as was the rest of him, but most of his injuries healed during the night, and the rest repaired themselves after he fed. “It is better,” he said.
Mollie gulped. “Um, is accelerated healing a vampire thing?”
“It is.”
Interesting and freaky. “Did you see anyone who escaped with us while you were out?” Mollie asked as she set aside the remains of the second rabbit.
She’d had enough of learning about vampires. It was great Mike was on her side, but there were plenty of inhuman beasts out there who would gladly see her dead, caged, or turned into a vampire snack. From what she’d seen, she didn’t think she had much of a chance against them.
“No. I think everyone has gone into hiding and is waiting for the sun to rise.” He’d hoped to find Jack and Doug, or at least some sign of them, but he’d discovered nothing about his friends. After he got Mollie to safety and found help, he would come back for them, if they hadn’t already made it to civilization by then too.
“Like us.”
“Yes, and if you’re done, it’s time we get moving.”
“I’m ready. Are we going to find Aida?”
“Hopefully.”
Mollie dug into her pocket and pulled out a pack of gum. She removed a piece and shoved it in her mouth to ease her dry throat and get rid of her morning/meat breath. She held the pack toward Mike. “Gum?”
Mike studied the pack before removing a piece. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d chewed gum, and he would have preferred a cigarette, but they were probably still sitting on the bar where he set them. Unwrapping the gum, he stuck it in his mouth and, without thinking, reached out his hand to her; she took it.
Chapter Thirteen
With a full bellyand a couple hours of sleep, Mollie felt better when they set out into the woods again. In the dim light filtering through the branches of the maples, oaks, and conifers surrounding them, the dense foliage wasn’t as sinister as last night, but she constantly searched for a monster lurking to pounce on them.
The crisp, spring breeze would have chilled her if the exertion of their trek didn’t keep her warm. Shadows shifted and played across the pine needles, and rotting leaves covered the ground while newly sprouted, fresh green leaves filled the trees. The pine trees here were some of the largest she’d ever seen, and it was easy to imagine they were in some magical land where time stood still. If a velociraptor or a giant suddenly materialized, she wouldn’t have found it extraordinary.
Normally, she would love a brisk walk in the woods. She and Aida spent many weekends exploring the nature trails near their home, but now she would give anything to be free of the creaking trees and countless hiding places.
Not even the singing of the birds could ease her trepidation over this place. Some of the thick trunks of the pines, oaks, and maples could hide three men behind them, and she kept waiting for someone to jump out at them and shout, “Sooooooey!”
She edged closer to Mike as the possibility festered in her mind until she felt jumpier than a flea. Mike had brought the sharpened stick he’d used to cook the rabbits on back to their alcove and still clutched it in his hand.
