"How did you do that?" she asked in amazement. Lad never followed anyone else's commands, but hers.
Derek ignored her inquiry. "If you want to live, do as I say," he warned and didn't allow her to agree or disagree with his demand. He pushed away from the shed and dragged her behind him as he sprinted for the gate.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere where you won't be able to hurt yourself or anyone else for that matter."
"I'm not the dangerous one here," she snapped.
His gaze swept over her, from head to toe and back up again, making her body feel warm from his intimate appraisal. A wicked gleam lit his eyes. "Honey, you're more dangerous than you know."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She didn't want to admit she liked the way he looked at her. Heck, she'd be as nutty as he was if she did. She placed her hands on her hips and lifted her chin in defiance. "I'm not going anywhere with you. And if you think—"
Before she could protest further, his hand whipped forward, gripping the flesh between her neck and shoulder. She never had a chance to swipe his hand away. Blackness clouded her vision and she went down for the count.
Chapter Six
Derek ran a hand through his hair as he stared at the woman lying on his bed and restrained with iron cuffs. "What the hell am I doing?" He'd been asking himself that question over and over again for the last half hour. He should have dusted her. Instead, he had called his brothers and boldfaced lied to them with a tale of Sloane and Tim's escape.
Wade and Axel were on Tim's trail now, but as for Sloane? They wouldn't think to look for her at his place or even fathom the idea that he'd kidnapped her. He should have dusted her, but how could he when she didn't act like a vampire? He couldn't go around staking innocent people.
And remember, you know her, he thought to himself.
He pursed his lips as he glanced at the woman with dark thick hair. His gaze traveled down the length of her and he felt his body heat in areas that had no business reacting. He harrumphed with irritation. He needed to be a hunter and figure out what to do next. Only the hunter part of his brain seemed to be taking a hiatus.
He gently lifted a lock of her hair away from her neck and stared at the marred flesh. Tim had definitely bit her. Some vampire septs could feed off humans without changing them, but not the Nosferatu. He knew this. Only, Sloane didn't act as if she was infected. His brows furrowed as he remembered for a spilt second her eyes had turned red. Maybe she wouldn't change. Maybe she could fight off the vampire venom. "And pink poodles can sing." He whirled away with a curse.
He needed to talk to someone who knew more about vamp bites than he did. "Cassandra." He strode out of the room as he lifted his cell phone from his pocket. Cassandra picked up on the fourth ring.
"Hey, Derek." His sister's voice rang through loud and clear.
He didn't bother with pleasantries. They would only waste time and he ran out of time the moment he kidnapped Sloane and brought her home. "I have a dilemma."
"You?" Humor laced his sister's words. "Isn't that usually Wade's department?"
"Yeah, well some of his antics rubbed off on me or perhaps I'm taking notes from you."
"What's that suppose to mean?" she shot back defensively.
He took a deep breath. He couldn't offend the only possible ally in this mess he put himself in. "I didn't mean anything by the statement, so chill. I caught a vampire… well, not a vampire yet, but possibly a hybrid from the Nosferatu sept."
"Nasty clan of vamps. So? You're a hunter. You know what to do."
"Cass, I didn't stake her. When I say I caught her, I mean I have her in irons…at my place."
"What the…"
He had to hold the phone away from his ear as she gave him heck for being so stupid. She really didn't need to bother. He'd been chastising himself for the last hour. "Are you through?" He held the cell tentatively to his ear once more.
"Why call me? Go in the room and dust her."
Okay, he hadn't expected her to go there first thing. He thought since she had a vampire for a boyfriend, she'd be a little more understanding. "What if she's not…you know…dangerous?"
Cassandra's sarcastic laugh pried on his nerves. "All vampires are dangerous."
"Even your precious Tremayne?"
"Even him," she said without pause. "Don't be an eegit. Yes, some vampires live among the humans without killing them for sport, but they are all predators. Tremayne would say the same. You claim you have a hybrid—an untrained hybrid I'm assuming. They have no discipline. They're like a shark—predators who can smell a drop a blood miles away. They don't think; they react and feed if not first glamoured into submission and trained properly."
He gripped his phone tighter. His instincts told him Sloane McBride could be saved. "I can't stake her."
"Dear Lord in Heaven." She actually sounded as if she were praying for guidance. "I would expect Wade to pant after a woman—vamp or not—but you… Come on. This woman can't be so hot that you can't stake her."
She was pretty damn good looking, but he refrained from saying so. He withheld that he knew her, too. "Give me some credit here. Yes, she's female, but there's something different about her. She's had enough opportunities to sink her teeth into my neck—"
"Now we're getting somewhere," Cassandra interrupted.
"Will you just listen? She didn't attack me. She seemed confused and scared."
His sister fell silent.
"Did you hear me?"
"I heard you. You're sure she's been bitten?"
"Pretty sure. She has marks on her neck and the boyfriend was the one to bite her and trust me he's vamped out. He was at her place again tonight. Maybe to finish the job he started before he had fully turned."
"Hold on a sec," his sister told him.
He could hear her conversing with someone—probably Tremayne, but he couldn't make out her words. Finally, she spoke to him again, "Tremayne wants to speak to her."
"Now? Uh…she's kind of unconscious."
"Should I even ask?"
"No."
She sighed heavily. "He actually wants to see her in person when he speaks to her. He'll be able to tell if she's on the verge of changing or not."
"And if she is?"
"You'll have two options: one, you stake her or two…" Cassandra paused and he had the distinct feeling she was afraid to tell him the option.
What could be worse than staking her? "Give it to me straight, Cass."
"If she's not too far gone, Tremayne might be able to change the effects."
"Do you mean cure her?"
"No," she said slowly.
"Then what?"
"He would give her his blood."
"Dammit, Cass. I called for your help."
"And I'm trying to give it, eegit. Remember you called me for advice."
This shut him up momentarily. "Fine. Go on. I'm listening."
"Tremayne is a pure blood. He could claim her for his sept if he completes the change. If she survives..." she let her last word sink in before she went on, "he'll find someone to mentor her, but this is all a lot of ifs here. It's better you take care of the problem now." It seemed like she added the last as an afterthought. Most likely trying to appease his hunter senses. Stake and dust—not mentor.
However, he was beyond thinking like a hunter at this point. "I welcome any help Tremayne can give. When can I expect him?"
Chapter Seven
Sloane woke with a start, inhaling deeply as she tried to sit up, but found her wrists were bound.
"Just relax."
Her gaze riveted to the dark corner of the room where she'd heard the voice. It was Derek, the man who— what exactly? His role, in this night's escapades had become blurred. Old boyfriend? Savior? Thug? Kidnapper? The last two weren't all that appealing. She yanked on her restraints. Handcuffed to a bed didn't sit well with her either.
"I'm sorry about the cuffs, but really it's for your own good." He strode out of th
e shadows, the light casting a spotlight on his rugged good looks.
His vivid green eyes were his best feature and she had a difficult time looking away. Too bad, he was deranged. "I don't understand. Why is being chained to a bed a good thing?" She had to keep her cool, which was really difficult when all she wanted to do is scream.
He took the steps separating them and sat beside her on the bed. She scooted away before she could stop herself, not that she could go very far. There went pretending she was brave and unfazed by all the weirdness. His brows furrowed and his eyes clung to hers, analyzing her reaction. For an instant she caught his pained expression, as if he didn't like this situation anymore than she did, which was completely ludicrous since he'd been the main participant.
"Please don't be afraid of me." He spoke in a gentle tone, but she knew he was anything but gentle.
The man came into her home armed with a bow and arrows, and had daggers hidden up his sleeves. And let's not forget she'd witnessed him in action. Robin Hood without the tights came to mind. Didn't he steal Maid Marion away, too? Gentle was so not a word she'd use to describe Derek Hayes.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he told her.
She narrowed her eyes as she tried to gage his intentions.
"I promise," he added and for some odd reason, she actually believed him.
Despite the situation, she wasn't picking up creepy vibes from him. Then again, she'd never been kidnapped before.
"You don't remember me, do you?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
Her gaze riveted to his. So he did know who she was. "Not at first…but yeah, I know who you are. Let me tell you, this is not how I envisioned a reunion." He let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. Man, he had great hair.
"I had hoped it wasn't you."
This made her frown. Would things have turned out differently if he hadn't known her? She was afraid to ponder the answer. "Why am I here?" She glanced around the room, looking for ways of escape, which seemed silly since she was chained to an iron headboard. Unless she suddenly developed superhuman strength, she wasn't going anywhere.
A desk and computer stood near a window. The thick shades were down, blocking any view to the outside world. A worn lounge chair was situated to the right of her, facing a portable television set that sat on the dresser. To the left, there was a door leading to a bathroom. She could see a glimpse of a shower curtain. "Where is here, anyway?"
"My home." He didn't hesitate to tell her. "I didn't know where else to take you. It's secure and no one will find you."
"Uh… not making me feel comfortable with that statement."
He ran a hand down the back of his neck. "I suppose it wouldn't." He grimaced. "I meant that you're safe from Tim and… my brothers."
"Tim wouldn't…" She was going to say he wouldn't hurt her, but after his last visit, she wasn't so sure. "Why would your brothers want to harm me? I don't know them."
"It's a long story," he sighed with regret.
She jiggled the chains. The metal felt warm against her skin, making her wonder what sort of metal it was, but she had more important questions to ask other than where he shopped for his handcuffs. "Looks like I'm here for a while. How about you tell me why your brothers want to harm me."
His gaze swept over her again, measuring her with a cool appraising look. He must have decided she could take the truth. "They think you're a vampire."
She laughed before she could stifle it. She was not making points with the crazy person. "Sorry, but wasn't Halloween months ago?"
"This isn't a joke. My family is from a long line of hunters."
"Soooo, you and your family hunt down vampires?"
"Among other preternatural beings that harm humans."
She didn't even want to ask. "Your family hunts vampires. So why would they come after me?"
"Because Tim bit you." He gestured to her neck.
"Tim's not a vampire either." Even as she made the claim a part of her questioned the validity of the statement. Tim had bit her, drew blood. He had fangs.
"You're starting to question everything, aren't you?" he asked.
She snorted. "Vampires are a legend and nothing more."
"All legends have some truth to them."
He leveled his gaze on her and didn't waver. He really believed supernatural beings existed. He hunted them down and killed them. "Are…are you going to kill Tim?"
He didn't look away from her. "He's not human now. If he hasn't killed to feed, he will soon."
"You spoke of Tim's family…are they?"
His features revealed what she had already known without him confirming it. He'd been telling her the truth or at least the truth he believed. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins were dead and Kylie… Omigod, Kylie was gone, too. She held the little girl when she was born, babysat her, read to her…
"There was an original vampire, a rogue," he began to tell her the horrific details. "He decided to make the Wilkins' home his hunting ground, but for some reason he recruited a few members. Usually these septs…
"Excuse me. Septs?"
"There are different vampire clans."
"Of course there are. So this vampire randomly chooses Tim's family and turns them into vampires."
"Only Tim and his brother."
"Trent? Where is he?"
He didn't answer and her heart fell. "He's gone, isn't he?" Gone in the fact, Derek or his brothers got rid of him.
"Most likely Trent is who changed Tim and I think Tim wanted change you, too."
She stared at him for a long moment as she digested the information. "Crazy is definitely catchy, I almost believe you." Her eyes widened as she realized what she said. "I don't mean you're crazy. I meant—"
His hand rested on her leg. It felt warm and reassuring as he patted her thigh. "I don't take offense," he said. "I've been called worse."
She just bet he had. Especially if he went around kidnapping women for their own good. "Let's say I really believe what you told me. I'm assuming you have me chained because you think I'll turn into a vampire."
"Yes."
Other than having a queasy stomach, she didn't feel any different. "What are the odds that I will?"
"Pretty good."
She blinked a few times. This couldn't be good. If he believed she would turn, she truly was in danger. "No, I can't." Not the best argument, but she was never good with the spur of the moment debates.
"When I challenged you back at your place, your eyes glowed red."
It took her a moment to realize he'd been talking. "What? Did you just say my eyes turned red?" She furrowed her brows. Tim's eyes had turned red. If she hadn't seen it for herself, she wouldn't have believed Derek's claim that hers had changed, too. Her gaze riveted to his. "You really are telling me the truth, aren't you?"
Chapter Eight
Derek hadn't thought it would be easy to convince Sloane there were monsters in the world, but after they talked until the sun rose, he could pretty much say, Sloane McBride believed him. When she drifted off to sleep, he caught some shuteye in the chair. He couldn't remove Sloane's chains, not yet anyway. He wanted to believe if he watched over her, everything would be all right and he could somehow protect her.
When he awoke a few hours later with a crick in his neck, he unfolded his body from the awkward position he found himself in—curled on his side in a chair that had no business being a bed—and headed for the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and make breakfast. By the time he returned to the room, Sloane was awake, too.
"I made you an omelet." He gestured with the plate. She had to be hungry and this would also be a test. If she were changing, she wouldn't be able to stomach conventional human food.
"And coffee." Her gaze landed on the mug he held.
"I didn't know if you took it black or with cream and sugar."
"Cream, no sugar."
"Good, I splashed a wee bit of cream in the mug before I thought about it." He handed her the cup, but stopped short w
hen he realized she couldn't reach it with her wrists bounded. He placed the cup and plate down on an end table.
"I'm going to unlock one of your cuffs so you can eat."
"Okay, but before I eat…uh… I need to…you know…" Her face flamed a nice crimson color and then it dawned on him what she needed.
"Sure. Sorry, I didn't think." He hurried to unlock the restraints. "The bathroom is there." He gestured with a quick wave of his hand.
"Thanks." She scooted off the bed and hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
He let out a breath he'd been holding. He hadn't thought this all through. He wondered if she wanted to take a shower. He didn't bring a change of clothes for her. He could stop by her house, pick up a few… His gaze landed on the closed door and he narrowed his eyes. He detected no sounds on the other side. No water running, no flushing of the toilet… "Hey, are you okay in there?"
Silence greeted him. He strode closer to the door and tapped lightly. "Sloane?"
No answer.
"Shee…et!" He slammed at the door with his shoulder. On the third go, the door gave way. Sloane had made her escape out the window. It was too small for his big frame, but Sloane was a tiny thing with slim hips. He strode over to the window and peered out. The sun sat high in the sky, bright and beautiful. Since there wasn't a pile of ash on the cement below, he could only assume Sloane had not made the transition from human to vampire as of yet. A good sign, but she still wasn't out of the woods and she sure as hell wasn't safe out there alone. As soon as night fell, Tim would be looking for her and his brothers were out to nab her, too. It was only a matter of time before one of them caught up with her.
He slammed the window shut with a curse for being so stupid. "You'd think this was my first hunt." Well, it was his first save. He usually didn't have to worry about keeping a target alive.
He headed for the front door, grabbing his keys as he went. She couldn't have gone far on foot. Possibly he could find her before Cassandra and her vampire lover showed up on his doorstep. He'd never live it down if his sister found out he'd let a possible vampire slip away under his watch.
Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) Page 4