The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Complete Collection(60)

“Who was that? Who’s coming?”

Drew rolled his eyes. “Who do you think? The one you wanted to save you.”

That wasn’t true. I’d never really expected anyone to save me. I’d always figured I’d do it on my own. “That’s not fair, Drew. It’s not true, either.”

He turned away so I couldn’t see his face. “Well, all that matters is that you’re safe and we’re going home, right?”

I nodded. I just didn’t understand why he was always so back and forth about everything. One minute we were kissing and the next he was almost shoving me at Gavin. I pushed back the tears that threatened to surface and clamped my mouth shut. I wasn’t about to say anything to him in the middle of the road while we attempted to escape evil vampires.

I’d already chosen. Drew had come for me. No matter what the cost or who he had to defy to do it, he was the one who chose me over all else. I couldn’t deny that. I didn’t want to deny that. Yes, Gavin probably would have come, but only after he had a guarantee of safety. I wasn’t mad at him or anything, but it just wasn’t the same as someone risking everything, including his life, for me.

Not to mention I could practically still taste Drew’s lips.

A low hum sounded in my ears, and I realized what it was: car engines. “Guys! Stop! There’s a car coming.” I listened harder. “No, there are two cars coming, one from each direction.”

Drew looked at Alice. “Take Oscar to the trees. Now!” he ordered.

“I’m going!” she answered back. She dragged Oscar into the darkness of the trees.

We could see the headlights of the first car from the direction we had been walking toward.

“That has to be Gavin.” Drew was squinting toward the headlights. “It’s his Jeep.”

I heard the other motor in the distance. I knew the sound of that motor.

“It’s him,” I told Drew. “Trevor’s coming from the other way.”

Drew walked to the middle of the road, in plain view of the oncoming cars. I followed him, and we stood there, weaponless, defenseless and vulnerable. I didn’t have a good feeling about what was about to happen.

“He probably has guns,” I told Drew quickly. “He tried to shoot me before.”

Drew smiled. “Well, how else would you kill someone you couldn’t touch?”

I didn’t smile back. “Yeah, you laugh now, but it was my gun.” That comment caused his smile to fade. He knew how much I loved my gun.

The Jeep stopped mere feet behind us after it skidded sideways in the middle of the road. I watched as the doors flew open and Gavin appeared. He had his arms full of guns while he ran toward us.

Christina popped out of the other door, and she also ran toward us. She wore jeans with heavy leather chaps over the top and a long-sleeved, tight black top. I’d never seen her decked out in hunter gear. She wore it well, unlike her hooker dress. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and she wore a double holster. In addition, her outfit boasted several sheathed knives. I could see the dark wood of the hilts with inlaid brass that glimmered in the headlights.

“Great,” I mumbled.

“Let it go, Chloe. No time for that,” Drew told me.

The Mustang arrived not nearly in such a hurry as Gavin and Christina had arrived. I glanced back and saw Gavin toss Drew a gun.

“Ammo?” Drew called, checking the gun.

“It’s loaded. Just check the safety. Here’s extra.” Gavin hurled a magazine at Drew, which he caught easily.

The doors on the Mustang popped open. In an instant, Trevor and Constance swept from the car, leaving the doors open. I held my hands in front of me and called up the fire. Two huge flames appeared in my palms. Just when the flames burned brightly, another vehicle pulled up behind Trevor's, and Vincent and my guard goon scrambled from the doors and moved behind Trevor and Constance.

I shot my flames upward in warning to the vampires.

“What the hell?” I heard Gavin’s obviously shocked voice call out.

Christina flanked my right side. “Well, someone’s been keeping secrets. Here’s a gun too.”

I did my best not to sound ungrateful. I was going to need that gun. I wished they’d had two for me. “Can you stick that in my pants?”

I wasn’t looking right at her, but in my mind, I could see her raising her eyebrows and coming up with some snarky comment.

“Just do it, Christina,” I said.

I felt her slide the gun into my waistband and give it a pat. “I hope it was good for you, too.”

“Knock it off, and get ready to fight.”

“I’m ready,” she said. I heard her pull back the slide mechanism and the cartridge shifted into the chamber. “Let’s kick some ass!” she yelled.

Trevor and his vampires stood in a line of four, just like us. I was right. He had my gun. It didn’t look like any of the others had a gun, but there was no way to tell for sure.

It appeared as if we had ourselves a regular standoff. Both parties were simply waiting for the other to draw.

“Come with me now, Chloe,” Trevor called out, “and I’ll let the other hunter’s depart alive.”

“Don’t you dare!” Drew nearly hissed the words at me.