Bite Me
Page 25
“Good idea. I’ll do that.”
As he led Jen off to find a ride, a released Fang jumped all over me, incoherent in his joy at seeing me safe.
Hey, you really love me.
YES. I MEAN NO—I AM SO TICKED AT YOU.
Dan was right behind Fang, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to see his expression, so I bent down to pet Fang.
HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME BEHIND? He licked my face thoroughly. DON’T YOU EVER DO IT AGAIN.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry for locking you in the car. But I was afraid you’d get hurt.”
“Have you finished talking to everyone else?” Dan asked calmly.
Uh-oh, here it came. The inevitable tongue-lashing. I didn’t answer, just straightened to meet his gaze.
His own face was tight and his eyes flashed with anger. “What the hell do you mean by going off without me? You could have been killed!”
I’d expected the anger, but not those words. Funny—he sounded just like Fang. “But I wasn’t killed. Instead, I killed Lily. I’m so sorry, Dan.” Even if he and his ex had broken up, there still had to be some feeling there.
“Don’t apologize for that,” Dan said sharply. “She wasn’t human anymore. She was a monster.”
So what must he think of me, who had enthralled everyone indiscriminately?
“Don’t look at me like that,” Dan said softly. “God, you’re no monster.”
So he was reading my mind now, huh? “Maybe, but I’m not human, either.”
“What does that mean? If being human means acting with honor, integrity, and care for others, you’re the most human person I know.”
Could he mean that? “But . . . I was wrong about my power. I can force people—men—to do things.”
Shockingly, Dan laughed. “Yeah. When you let loose, you really let loose.”
I didn’t understand his attitude. “But . . . it’s not normal.” Not human.
“No, but I doubt it will ever happen again. I know you had no choice, and I could tell you didn’t have any idea of your full power before. As Micah said, it’s because you’ve kept it pent up inside all these years. When you let loose, it was bound to be a hell of a ride.”
He smiled at me. “And it gave me a whole new perspective on my earlier encounter with Lola. Will you forgive me?”
Stunned, I said, “Of course. So, you’re okay with me and Lola now?”
“She’s a part of you, one we’ll have to learn to deal with together.” He grinned. “Besides, every man should have a little Lola in his life. Partners?”
I grinned, allowing a little bit of happiness to sink in. Finally, someone who accepted me as I was—demon and all. This must be what Tessa meant about doing what I hated most to get what I wanted most.
“I’d love that.”
Fang nosed me. HEY, WHAT ABOUT ME?
As if he’d heard the hellhound, Dan added, “And Fang, too.”
DAMN STRAIGHT. WE ARE SOOOO BAD. MONSTERS OF THE WORLD, WATCH OUT!
Dan put an arm around me. “Between the three of us—well, the four of us, including Lola—we make one hell of a team.”
I beamed at him. Yeah—heaven help anyone who stood in our way.
A Note From Parker Blue
Dear Reader,
When Val Shapiro first popped into my head, I was utterly fascinated by her. Her part-demon nature, her smart mouth, her kickass attitude, and her surprising vulnerability all added up to a character who was a joy to write. Dan Sullivan, with his familial pride and bemused acceptance of Val, was no less so. And Fang . . . let’s just say I have the prototype living in my house.
I had so much fun writing the book that when a charity asked for donations from writers to auction on eBay, I offered up the chance to have someone killed in print by a vampire. Lorena Kott won the auction and chose to see herself killed rather than subject anyone else to the ordeal. In appreciation, I gave her a relatively easy death-by-vampire in chapter twelve.
I hope to revisit this world in my next book, for more adventures with Val, Dan, Fang, and the members of the Demon Underground.
To find out more about me, please visit my website at www.parkerblue.net.
Parker Blue
Colorado Springs, CO
More Great Young Adult Fiction From Bell Bridge Books
MOONSTONE
By Marilee Brothers
Available everywhere books are sold.
Order from Amazon.com and other online booksellers, or order direct from Bell Bridge Books at www.bellbridgebooks.com
A sickly mom. A crummy house trailer. Highschool bullies and snarky drama queens.Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson,who’sstruggling tokeep her and her mom’s act together in the small-town world ofPeacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie’s weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she’s being visitedby a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor,the town “witch,” gives heran incredible moonstone pendant that haspowers onlya good-hearted “Star Seeker” is meant to command. “Who, me?” is Allie’s first reaction. But as sinister eventsbegin to unfold, Allie realizesshe’s got adestiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life,in the meantime.
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I cannot wait to see what is next from this delightfully fun and refreshing debut author. I also cannot wait to see what other YA fantasy Bell Bridge Books puts out. -www.bookloons.com
I’m just going to have to eagerly await a second book to find out more about Allie and her Star Seeker powers and the power of the Moonstone. - BeyondBooks.com
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I can’t wait for the sequel.—Bookluver-Carol’s Reviews