The forlorn tone of her voice nearly brokehim. What had this monster done to her?
“No, baby,” he assured her as he stroked herhair. “I’m going to find whoever did this to you, and I willdestroy them. If you can help me, it might make locating themeasier.”
She lifted her head and blinked as shebrought him into focus, but when she looked at him, her fingershooked into claws as she contemplated tearing his eyes out. “Whydid you forsake me?”
There was that fucking word again,Julian thought. It wasn’therword. Whoever did this to herput it in her mind, which was another sign he was dealing with afar older vampire. Julian didn’t care how old the bastard was; he’dtear his heart out and feed it to him.
“Aida, you have to listen to me,” hesaid.
He didn’t want to use his power on her, buthe might not have a choice as she tugged at her wrists and tappedher foot. When she bit her bottom lip again, a fresh trail of bloodtrickled from it.
“You have to calm down,” he told her as hisability entwined with her mind. Gradually, some of the tensioneased from her, but her eyes shimmered with turmoil. When hereleased her hands, she didn’t try to hit herself again. “I’m goingto show you a picture, and I want you to tell me who it is.”
Kyle brought his computer over and turned thescreen so she could see it. When she did, she closed her eyesagain.
“He… He…” Her eyebrows knit together. Whenher hands fell to her thighs, she dug her fingers into her skin.“He was at the gallery.”
“Do you know who he is?” When her footstarted tapping again, Julian rested his hand over hers. “It’sokay. He can’t hurt you again.”
“He didn’t hurt me!” she burst out.
Julian saw the footage, so he knew she waslying, but the vamp buried the memory. “Okay,” he soothed. “Do youremember what the two of you talked about?”
“We had a lovely time,” she said in asingsong tone he barely recognized.
Cassidy and Kyle exchanged a look whileJulian gritted his teeth and focused on her while he asked his nextquestion. “Do you remember his name?”
Aida pursed her lips together and tapped herfoot. She should remember this with ease; she’d met him before, hepurchased from the gallery, and they spent a lovely afternoontalking while he perused the paintings. Why couldn’t she rememberhis name?
When she lifted a hand toward her head,Julian caught it before she started slapping herself again. “It’sokay if you can’t,” he assured her.
“I know this,” she muttered. And then fromthe murky recesses of her turbulent mind, a name emerged.“Gerald!”
“Gerald, what?” Kyle asked and held up hishands when Julian shot him a look. “Sorry.”
“Do you know his last name?” Julianasked.
“He was at the gallery for Owen’s showingtoo,” Aida murmured.
Something sick twisted in Julian’s stomach.This vamp was around her a couple of times, maybe more, and he’dnever known it. He’d failed to protect her when he promised hewould. He wouldnotfail her again.
Aida recalled something else. “He’s the onewho sent the vamp in the bar after me!”
Julian’s eyes widened as Cassidy gasped.“What?Why?”
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Aidamuttered. “He’s a customer at the gallery. Why would he do that?But…”
Her voice trailed off as flashes of somethingwent off in her mind. She felt like she was standing in a disco andthe lights were strobing all around her. She couldn’t move,couldn’t think, and could barely see the figures beyond thosebright lights, but they were there. The more she concentrated, themore they came into focus.
“He enjoys toying with those he’s going tokill. And he is going to kill my boyfriend.” She focused on Julianagain. “He’s going to killyou. He also said he wasn’t goingto tangle with three vampires. He’s been following you for a longtime and knew when you were coming to Boston…”
Her voice trailed off as another memoryniggled at her mind. “He sent the Savage after you when you firstarrived too!”
“Who is this guy?” Kyle asked.
“I have no idea,” Julian said.
“Well, he sure knows who you are, and he hasa hard-on for you.”
