he’d
operated outside the boundaries of free will, doing what he was
forced to do and suffering for each life he took. And now? He could
kill a man for purely personal reasons, without the torment the curse
had provided him with. Now he could do it and like it.
He’d been sure
that if the curse were broken, he would go back to being the man he’d
been before it. He hadn’t been a killer when he was turned, so
surely those rules—the fine print—didn’t apply to him. The book
had been created for the first vampires. Not for him. He was special.
He was different. He was holy.
And he was about
to drain the life from the man standing in the way of what he wanted.
With the curse behind him, all he wanted was her. Three times he’d
drunk her blood, and each time he grew more possessive. What was one
more murder in all the thousands upon thousands he’d been forced to
commit? What was one more life if it could simplify everything?
The front door was
locked, but locks posed no challenge. August ripped it off its
hinges. Nothing would stand between him and his goal. Fluorescent
lights hissed and blinked as he stomped down the hallway, gaining
speed the closer he got to the scent of his prey.
When he opened the
door, Dominic looked up.
“Can I help
you?”
“You can die.
That would help a lot.”
The red haze that
blurred August’s vision made Dominic pink, like meat. Should he
drink or snap his neck? He’d never been faced with that decision.
Choosing to kill was a novel concept.
Before Dominic
could react, August was on him, his fangs in his throat, ripping at
the flesh. The first drop of blood had barely touched his tongue when
Nicolette’s tear-streaked face leapt into his mind. His phantom
mate was on her knees, begging him, begging for her husband’s life,
promising to give him anything he wanted.
Dominic struggled
in his arms and August let go. The vampire ripped into his own wrist
and gave the man some of his blood to undo the damage he’d created.
Dominic sputtered and choked on it, trying to get away, trying not to
swallow, but it was a futile fight.
When August had
forced enough blood down the man’s throat, he gripped his shoulders
and stared hard into his eyes. “None of this happened. Forget me.”
He cursed and
punched a hole in the wall on his way out. The damage would be a
mystery Nicolette’s husband would never unravel.
***
Nicole crammed a
few more dresses and an extra pair of jeans into the open suitcase.
She couldn’t bear leaving Dominic forever. She wasn’t strong
enough for that, and she feared what August would do when he found
her gone. But she needed the illusion that she could somehow be free
in the world again, just for a little bit.
She reread her
quickly-scrawled words:
Dominic,
I’m sorry to leave
you a note like this, but my Aunt Norah broke her leg. She needs help
with the children for a few days while she makes other arrangements.
I didn’t want to disturb you at the office. I’ll call as soon as
I can.
Love Always,
Nicole
The beauty of the
explanation was that it was easily believable. Norah hadn’t spoken
to the rest of the family in years. Nicole found herself grateful for
the family strife that would give her a way out for a while.
She sat on the
suitcase to force it closed and drove the locks home. She wanted
nothing more than to explain things to Dominic, beg him to run away
with her, but he would never believe her story.
On her way out of
town, she stopped by the flower shop and gave them the injured-aunt
excuse. They couldn’t guarantee her job would be there when she
returned, and she didn’t expect it to be.
She just needed
space, a few days to try to cope with the reality of her life now.
Chapter Eight
August had driven
for five days, stopping only to sleep on the side of the road. The
death and decay rose up around him, his face and body having turned
gruesome from lack of feeding. Each time he caught
operated outside the boundaries of free will, doing what he was
forced to do and suffering for each life he took. And now? He could
kill a man for purely personal reasons, without the torment the curse
had provided him with. Now he could do it and like it.
He’d been sure
that if the curse were broken, he would go back to being the man he’d
been before it. He hadn’t been a killer when he was turned, so
surely those rules—the fine print—didn’t apply to him. The book
had been created for the first vampires. Not for him. He was special.
He was different. He was holy.
And he was about
to drain the life from the man standing in the way of what he wanted.
With the curse behind him, all he wanted was her. Three times he’d
drunk her blood, and each time he grew more possessive. What was one
more murder in all the thousands upon thousands he’d been forced to
commit? What was one more life if it could simplify everything?
The front door was
locked, but locks posed no challenge. August ripped it off its
hinges. Nothing would stand between him and his goal. Fluorescent
lights hissed and blinked as he stomped down the hallway, gaining
speed the closer he got to the scent of his prey.
When he opened the
door, Dominic looked up.
“Can I help
you?”
“You can die.
That would help a lot.”
The red haze that
blurred August’s vision made Dominic pink, like meat. Should he
drink or snap his neck? He’d never been faced with that decision.
Choosing to kill was a novel concept.
Before Dominic
could react, August was on him, his fangs in his throat, ripping at
the flesh. The first drop of blood had barely touched his tongue when
Nicolette’s tear-streaked face leapt into his mind. His phantom
mate was on her knees, begging him, begging for her husband’s life,
promising to give him anything he wanted.
Dominic struggled
in his arms and August let go. The vampire ripped into his own wrist
and gave the man some of his blood to undo the damage he’d created.
Dominic sputtered and choked on it, trying to get away, trying not to
swallow, but it was a futile fight.
When August had
forced enough blood down the man’s throat, he gripped his shoulders
and stared hard into his eyes. “None of this happened. Forget me.”
He cursed and
punched a hole in the wall on his way out. The damage would be a
mystery Nicolette’s husband would never unravel.
***
Nicole crammed a
few more dresses and an extra pair of jeans into the open suitcase.
She couldn’t bear leaving Dominic forever. She wasn’t strong
enough for that, and she feared what August would do when he found
her gone. But she needed the illusion that she could somehow be free
in the world again, just for a little bit.
She reread her
quickly-scrawled words:
Dominic,
I’m sorry to leave
you a note like this, but my Aunt Norah broke her leg. She needs help
with the children for a few days while she makes other arrangements.
I didn’t want to disturb you at the office. I’ll call as soon as
I can.
Love Always,
Nicole
The beauty of the
explanation was that it was easily believable. Norah hadn’t spoken
to the rest of the family in years. Nicole found herself grateful for
the family strife that would give her a way out for a while.
She sat on the
suitcase to force it closed and drove the locks home. She wanted
nothing more than to explain things to Dominic, beg him to run away
with her, but he would never believe her story.
On her way out of
town, she stopped by the flower shop and gave them the injured-aunt
excuse. They couldn’t guarantee her job would be there when she
returned, and she didn’t expect it to be.
She just needed
space, a few days to try to cope with the reality of her life now.
Chapter Eight
August had driven
for five days, stopping only to sleep on the side of the road. The
death and decay rose up around him, his face and body having turned
gruesome from lack of feeding. Each time he caught
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