Bound in Death (Bound #5)(8)

Wait, that probably hadn’t the smartest thing to say to the guy.

A muscle flexed in his jaw. “You think I don’t know?”

“Vampires aren’t real.” She was edging cautiously toward the bar’s back door. Just a few more steps, and she’d be able to rush inside.

This time, she’d try to not get her ass dragged back outside again.

Like that had worked so well the first time.

He laughed.

The sound stopped her.

His laughter was deep and rumbling and dark. And the man was scary—so terrifying to her. So why in the world did she find the sound of that rough laughter to be sexy?

Maybe I’m the crazy one.

“I know your secrets.” His voice was low, almost taunting. “Every last one.”

He can’t.

“Stay away from me,” she whispered.

His lips parted. Wait, were his teeth sharper? Those teeth, his canines, sure looked sharper to her. They appeared to be getting even more so by the minute.

“Am I having a nightmare?” The question slipped from her. It sounded as absolutely lost as she felt.

His fingers lifted. Smoothed lightly over her cheek. “I can take away all of your nightmares. I can make sure you never know another instant of pain or fear in your life again.”

If only. “Look, mister, you’re the thing scaring me the most right now.”

His hand seemed so hot against her flesh.

“Please,” she was begging, she knew it. “Just let me go.”

The light from the lamp posts and from the back of the building bounced off his sunglasses. She was glad she couldn’t see his eyes. She didn’t want to see them.

In the next instant, his hand had dropped from her cheek and he’d grabbed her right wrist. He lifted up her hand, staring down at her palm. “Your rose. It marks you.” His hold tightened. “I know.”

Now he was obsessing over that weird red birthmark? Okay, sure, if you squinted, it did look like a rose, but so what? “Let me go,” Jane said again. Her desperation was making her voice shake.

“For now.” He released her and stepped back.

For now and forever.

She took a few frantic breaths. Hope stirred.

“I’m not what you think I am.” She had to convince him. Had to get the guy to walk away. “I’m not a vampire. I’m not some kind of monster.” Though you sure may be. “I’m just a normal human, okay? Your average woman. My name is Jane and—”

“It isn’t.” Snarled.

Okay. The guy obviously had quite a few issues.

“You think I don’t know you? You think I don’t know your scent? Your touch? Every f*ckin’ thing about you?”

She took another careful step toward the door.

Another groan sounded behind her stranger. Sean. A fast glance showed her that he was trying to rise. Hurry, Sean. Hurry.

“You can’t know me,” she whispered, hoping to keep the stranger’s attention on her long enough for Sean to get more strength back. “We’re strangers.” Her frantic heartbeat seemed to be bruising her chest.

He smiled then. “Liar.”

That smile—it flashed actual fangs.

“G-get away from her!” Sean’s voice. The guy sounded winded, and when the stranger’s face tensed, she knew he was about to attack again.

“Don’t.” She reached for him. Curled her hands around his arms. “Don’t hurt them again.” Because she knew that he could.

Would?

But he nodded.

Voices rose in the wind then. Others were heading that way—maybe to the parking lot that lay a few steps behind him. Hell, maybe they were just walking that way in order to get some action in the dark.

Either way, their audience was increasing.

And her stranger, after one long look down at the hands that held him, tilted his head back. He nodded, as if he’d made a decision. “I’ll see you again.”

Not if I see you first.

He backed away and actually seemed to just…vanish into the night.

That was good. The whole vanishing bit was really good. Because in the next instant, Jane’s knees gave way and she hit the ground. Hard.

Vampire.

Oh, shit. Her secret was out.

***

He’d scared her.

Dammit, that hadn’t been his plan. He was there to protect her, to make certain that her blue eyes—still the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen—never showed a hint of fear again.

Only those eyes had been terrified.

Because of me.

She’d taken one look at him, and the woman calling herself Jane had paled. She’d trembled.

She’d tried to run.

The beast inside of Alerac had responded instinctively. After such a long hunt, there had been no other way for him to respond.

Chase. Claim. Trap.

Cage.

He’d wanted to grab onto her and hold her as tightly as he could.

But she’d stared up at him and acted as if he were a stranger.

Worse, a monster.

Well, what was f*ckin’ new there?

“Did you find her?”

He turned at the words, not surprised to discover Liam waiting for him in the darkness.

They were both well used to the dark. “Yes.” The word snapped out from Alerac.