Page 53 of Nightfall


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But no pouncing happened.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that blood steadily dripped to the ground from the dhampyr’s many injuries, and in the shadows of the warehouse, it looked nearly as dark as my blood. He should be healing by now. Maybe the Nightshade was what was preventing that.

“All I know is Dr. Reynolds wanted me dead for killing his wife,” Declan said. “And I would be dead right now if his unexpected experiment had gone according to plan.”

“Jackson has been a good little hunter for Victor these last months. It was an exclusive contract. He collected research subjects and dropped them off here. Along the way, he learned that his sister had been caught in Victor’s web of lies. That she had been successfully inseminated, and that he’d take extra care of her if Jackson did as he was told without any questions asked. He’d heard of you, Jill, through the grapevine, and that you had been seen with Declan that day in San Diego. He already suspected that Carson Reyes’s son was the hunter who’d taken Clara’s life, but he wanted confirmation.”

“And Jackson provided that,” Declan said.

“No. In fact, he tried to put doubt in Victor’s mind. A mind that had already been made up when it came to your guilt.”

“So he didn’t say anything,” I said, surprised.

“To my knowledge, no. He said nothing that would implicate Declan directly.”

I couldn’t see a change in Declan’s expression, but this news had to be a relief. His brother-in-arms hadn’t sold him out, not even with so much at risk.

Jackson Gale, alpha douchebag, had possessed a streak of integrity. Who would have guessed it?

Not me, that was for sure. Lesson learned.

“Where is he?” Jennifer asked again, her voice pitchy now. “Where’s my brother?”

“Dead,” Lawrence replied cooly. “Last I saw, four vampires were gnawing on his bones. I would have joined in, but I was already full.”

Shit. I hadn’t wanted her to find out like this.

“No,” she cried. “He can’t be dead. Not like this.”

“The life of a hunter is a dangerous one,” Lawrence said. “Jackson knew that better than most. He should have escaped when he had the chance. I guess he was searching for you.”

He said this like he wanted to hurt her. It worked.

Lawrence looked down his nose at her. “Do you think I believed you when you said that Stacy didn’t suffer? I’ve read accounts of dhampyr births before. No one ever goes gently.”

Then, without warning, the vampire lunged for Jennifer, inhumanly fast, and clamped his arm around her neck so that they both faced us. She screamed and clutched at his sleeve.

“Let her go,” Declan snapped.

“If I asked you to choose, which young woman would you save?” Lawrence asked.

“Go to hell,” Declan growled.

“That’s not an answer. Choose one, and maybe I’ll let you leave here with her alive.”

“This isn’t a game,” I snarled.

“Isn’t it?” Lawrence raised his gaze to mine, but he didn’t look as rational as I’d hoped. “Earlier, I believed that Victor was right. That vampires are monsters, and that I was one of the very few that deserved to live. Funny how quickly opinions can change about such important matters.”

“Let Jennifer go. I know you want to die, to join your wife. Bite me, get it over with.”

“I’ve changed my mind about that.” He pulled the silver stake he’d stolen earlier from Declan out of the back of his pants. “I’ve drunk as much blood as I can today. Now, I only want to watch it spill.”

“I will kill you,” Declan growled. “I promise you that much.”

“No, you won’t. Not today, anyway.”

“Please,” Jennifer managed. “What I said about Stacy...I only said it to ease your pain.”

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