Page 242 of Vameer

It doesn’t matter that we just met. I know him. Inside and out. Because our hearts beat as one. Because he keeps the other half of my soul.

So I trust him to do what’s right. And the people who have been trying to kill him, us, who would hurt random strangers just to get to him, those sorts of people have no place in this world. Those sorts of people can never be trusted.

“Come back quickly.” I squeeze Vameer’s sides. And his fingertips trail down my arms as I step back.

Then Dread creates a portal, and they leave.

Chapter 146

Johnson

Iwait for the garage door to close before I get out of my car.

Inside the house, I drop my overnight bag on the floor, then flip the dead bolt leading back into the garage.

This is so fucked.

Scared in my own home like some sort of civilian.

I take a breath.

This is my summer house. Bought through one of my corporate accounts. Vampire won’t be able to figure that out.

A blinking red light reminds me to reset my security system.

I get the code wrong on the first try but manage on the second.

Cursing with each step, I cross the living room to the always-stocked bar cart.

And if I leave the lights off, that’s because there’s enough moonlight coming in through the windows. No other reason.

And if my hand shakes as I pull the stopper out of my favorite vodka, it’s because I’m hungry.

Skipping the glass, I lift the bottle to my mouth.

It burns as it goes down, but with my second swallow, the heat in my chest starts to calm my nerves.

Setting the bottle back on the cart, I pull my phone from my pocket.

I turned it off when I left Virginia.

“They’re fucking vampires.” I turn it back on.

I have one voicemail from a number I recognize as one of the poor bastards who was sent to King Tosa’s campsite.

I hit Play.

“Johnson, I don’t know where the hells you are, but I need an extraction. I haven’t seen Jones since we got here, and I just met a dude with glowing eyes.”

My brows furrow. Glowing eyes?

“Him and the Tosa prick just walked through the wall into my room. Whatever the fuck is about to go down, I want out. Call me back.”

I don’t want to talk to him, but I do need to find out what is happening over there.

But when I try to call him back, it doesn’t go through. Doesn’t even ring.

I find the contact for another one of our volunteers.