AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He stopped his line of thought. Why would he care about her pain? She could still be working against his goals.
A muscle twitched in Karen’s arm, and he clutched his fingers around her bicep, marveling at her skin’s soft, silky texture with the surprisingly hard muscle underneath. He risked a glance down. By her toning, she must’ve been in great shape before she died.
When a demon made a vampire from death, the condition of the body remained the same as in life. Same weight, same height. All scars remained too.
He flicked a glance to the two humans, fragile beings, really, considering their worth. He doubled down on his mind control because he couldn’t risk discovery. There were strict Clan Sanguis rules about regular humans learning vampires and demons existed. West skated on the edge by smuggling blood, no need to for him to dull his blades further. The profits by running his operation on the black market and avoiding the King’s Blood Authority taxes were high…and so were the penalties.
Too much rode on his keeping this side business under the radar.
The van rocked, and he settled himself against the vehicle’s wall, his concentration on the two humans. Soon enough, he’d learn the secrets embedded in the female vampire he held in his arms.
Hopefully he’d find out why he was determined he must keep her too.
CHAPTER3
Light.
Morning? She lay on something soft with covers over her. Ugh, dry lips. When she went to lick them, she found she couldn’t move her mouth or her tongue.
What…
In a flash, the night’s events returned. She’d been shot in the head by one of the biters’ victims. Had they captured her? Fear rose like a tsunami, and she snapped open her lids. When she tried to rise, her body wouldn’t move. For a moment she attempted to writhe and twist, struggling to break the bonds like a snared animal.
Stop! You know better than to panic.She shoved away the terror of capture and slipped into her mental ice bath. Three quick breaths centered her again, allowing her to focus on her predicament. She could breathe and move her eyes only. A binding spell? Crossed off the list was the possibility she’d been discovered by a human and been revealed as a vampire, an infraction which could earn her termination by Clan Sanguis rules. The long, long list of what other kind of danger she might be in remained.
The whiff of ozone which rose to her nose indicated magic had recently been cast and confirmed the probability a binding spell kept her in place. Hell. She’d have to deal with a magic wielder too. At least her eyes worked. Since she couldn’t move her head, she surveyed the limited range the spell allowed her gaze to roam.
Across from her, a window added to light from the good-sized room’s generic, residential, overhead fixtures. The lack of vertical shadows indicated bars hadn’t been installed against escape. Good? Maybe. The window could still be spelled, which would invalidate the portal as an exit route.
To her right, she found a solid door, maybe metal, at the other end of the room. Shut. Locked or merely closed against sound?
The gray wall color coordinated well with the neutrals and woods which comprised the fabric and furnishings. Four single beds occupied the space, two on opposing walls. She occupied one, covers pulled to her chin. Tables between the sets of beds each held a lamp. The placing suggested a recovery room. She shifted her gaze to her left. A metal tray, the kind you might find in a hospital, had been placed next to her. She spied a corner of the distinct gold-foil packaging of HP blood. Her fangs lengthened and the ache in her brain intensified.
Footsteps approached the door. Feral desire for the HP blood waiting in the bag could come later. She sharpened her senses and her blood reacted to the presence on the other side—a powerful demon. Maybe the vamps she’d been chasing had captured her. Or maybe they’d brought her back to their family and a demon who posed an even greater danger to her.
The knob turned, and she steeled herself against what the opened door would reveal.
Philip.
Hell. Hehadbeen working with the vampires. Fury blazed through her veins, and she aimed the emotion purely at herself. She should’ve known better than to discount him when he didn’t follow her from the club.
Since she couldn’t move or speak, she tracked him from the door to the end of her bed. The neutral expression on his handsome face gave nothing away.
His garb didn’t vary much from last night—white dress shirt with a suit. Without a tie, the open top button lengthened the sexy, tanned column of his neck. The clothing’s tailoring remained impeccable, and the sheen gave the material away as silk. He either had a lot of money or spent most of his funds on draping materials on his tight, lean body. The negligent way he carried himself suggested the former rather than the latter. Those who dressed to proclaim status ensured others knew the clothing cost a pretty penny by throwing around designer labels. Not this guy.
Something nagged at her. What had…
Dammit. No others entered with him.Hewas the demon. Last night he’d distinctly shown as human or human paranormal and now lacked the warm aura in her senses. With the spell holding her to the bed, he must’ve been working with the magic wielder and had a spell or amulet to alter his paranormal signature. What could he want with her? Had he discovered her secrets?
Her brain began to swim with all the possibilities, and she put a hold on her scattered thoughts.The now is more important.
With a raised eyebrow, he said, “I only played an HP last night.”
Had he read her mind? A movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention.
A female entered the room followed by a man. Slim and petite, with the smooth skin of a child, her eyes spoke of decades, maybe millennia beyond her looks. The ozone smell wafted around her when she stopped next to the bed, and she bore a no prey-signature, a sure indicator of Clan Magic.
The salt-and-pepper-haired male, at least half a foot shorter than Phillip and bearing the distinct aura of human, joined the two beings at the end of the bed. Was he an HP? Why this trio? Nerves began to jackhammer in Caro’s gut. This couldn’t be good. If Phillip read her mind, and now brought in a stronger telepath…
