“Plus, you saved me. You could have left me in the cage,” Mike said when Mollie didn’t speak.
“No, I couldn’t have,” she muttered, and he squeezed her shoulders. “Can all vampires do that mind control thing?”
“Yes, but some are better at it than others. The older a vamp gets, the stronger their powers get. I’m a child compared to some.”
“Why didn’t they keep us under their control when they had us in their cages?”
“It takes a lot of power to control someone’s mind, and it can be draining for a vampire. There were a lot of humans and vampires in the barn. It would have been difficult to keep all of them manipulated. Plus, with what I think they planned for us, it would be far more fun for them to let everyone have control of their minds.”
His words caused the hair on her arms to rise. “And what do you think they planned for us?”
“I think our captors intended to starve the vampires they captured until those vamps were mindless with hunger before turning them free, and I believe they were going to use the imprisoned humans as the food source for those vamps to kill.”
Mollie’s stomach plummeted. “What?”
“The vampires in there were all originally like me, just trying to go about their lives without harming anyone. The killing of humans is what leads to a vampire becoming Savage. Lately, there has been a growing movement to turn more vamps and humans Savage.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, no one does. But one of the things the vampires behind the movement are doing is capturing vampires or taking humans and turning them; then they’re starving those vampires until they’re so mindless they’ll destroy anything in their way. Each death pushes them more toward becoming a Savage while it strengthens and weakens them.”
“How can they be strengthenedandweakened?”
“Savages tend to be stronger and faster than the average turned vamp, though a vampire’s power increases with age. However, after enough kills, a Savage can no longer tolerate sunlight or cross large bodies of water.”
“I’ve heard of those things being weaknesses of vampires!” she blurted.
“And theyareweaknesses for some vampires.”
“Everything you’ve told me is both fascinating and terrifying.”
Mike chuckled as he drew her a step closer to him. Unable to resist, he bent to kiss her forehead. “Welcome to my world.”
Stunned by the gentle, almost natural, gesture, it took Mollie a minute to form her next question. “Have you ever killed anyone before?”
“Vampires, yes. Humans, no.”
Phew.Mollie mentally wiped her brow. Perhaps he was lying, but she doubted it. Mike walked freely through the sun, and there was no reason for him to lie. If she attempted to run, he’d catch her. Plus, she had nowhere to go, and she doubted she’d succeed if she tried to kill him.
Reluctantly, Mike released her and stepped away. Now was not the time to get swept up in the warmth of her body and the allure of her scent.
The sad set of his shoulders when he turned away tugged at Mollie’s heart. The heat of his kiss lingered on her forehead as he started through the woods again. Mollie shifted the rifle on her back before starting after him.
“So, Mollie, what are you doing in Canada?”
“Are we stillinCanada?” she countered.
“Judging by the temperature and the fact most of the vegetation is fresh growth, I’d go with yes, but what do I know anymore?”
Mollie had to agree as she studied the leaves overhead and inhaled the brisk air. Back home, she’d be in a T-shirt, but she found herself missing her coat. However, the long-sleeved shirt was warm enough when she was moving.
“You know the same as me,” she said.
“I know far less about you than you do about me. Are you an escaped convict? A thief on the run? On a treasure hunt? In witness protection?”
Mollie chuckled, and her hair bobbed against her shoulders when she shook her head. She’d tried to pin her hair back up while Mike was hunting this morning, but she’d lost most of her bobby pins during the events of the night. She’d finally given up and tucked the few remaining pins into her pocket.
“My life is far less exciting than any of those things would suggest,” she said.
