would smell Robert’s presence yet know she remained unclaimed.
Many vampires would relish taking her away from him. Not making love to her
might be more dangerous than loving her and leaving his mark.
The thought of taking her blood while thrusting deep within
her made him throb with need. But, he didn’t want to cause her harm. “I will
not defile another innocent.”
“Yet you want her. And she is ripe for the taking.”
“Aye. The desire to mark her and feed from her burns in my
gut.” Robert rubbed a hand over his face.
“You will be alone with her in tight quarters for some time
after leaving Charleston. How will you curb your appetites?”
“Celibacy. Clinical blood bags.”
Jagger grimaced. “Stale blood? Better you than me.”
“’Tis palatable.”
“Hardly.” Jagger’s eyes took on a knowing gleam. “You are in
love with her.”
Robert tensed. Was he? No. It was just he’d made a promise,
which he intended to keep. He would ensure her safety.
“She is in danger from a hit man and a lunatic who thinks I
killed his sister. And she is running from the authorities’ good intentions. I
have vowed to protect her.”
“Then you will appreciate my news. I managed to get law
enforcement to back off since she is the victim. All you have left to deal with
is the hit man and the lunatic. Any idea why the nut case thinks you killed his
sister?”
“Not a clue. His name is Willy Smit. He crewed for me up
north before he got called home for a family emergency.”
“Shit!” Jagger’s cold stare bore into Robert. “You know the
situation I helped you with in New Jersey?”
“Aye.”
“The lady’s surname was Smit.”
The sensation of being gut-punched forced Robert back a
step. Jagger referred to the vampire groupie with the purple tinted hair. Could
she be related to Willy?
“Please. Tell me she did not die.”
“She was very ill after—”
“Jagger!” Robert roared.
“She did not die, but she was quite ill and is still at the
safe house recovering. Her family is unaware of her whereabouts. Maybe he is
her brother.”
“If so, I have been careless. They both know what I am.”
Robert told his friend everything that happened the night he
spent with the girl. Her seduction of him. The violent sex. The blood. All of
it. Then he showed him the silver mage dagger Willy had carried.
“Damn. This is serious.” Jagger pushed the blade away with a
handkerchief as if merely touching it offended him. “Do you know what this is?”
“I fear I might. I hoped you would tell me my concerns are
unwarranted.”
“I wish I could, but I can’t. The society must not have
perished as we thought. If Willy is one of them, there will be an army hounding
you from now on.”
“Then you better stay away from me, before the society
realizes what you are.”
“You have saved me more often than I can count. I will watch
your back, as you have mine. I will not abandon you because some misguided
slayers are after you.”
“You have been a true friend.” Robert embraced Jagger. “Will
you keep the dagger for me? I dinnae want it near Kimberly.” He slid the
ancient weapon of annihilation into its sheath.
Jagger’s lips twisted into a distasteful frown. Robert
thought he might refuse, but Jagger picked up the leather-encased dagger and
stowed it in the satchel he carried.
“Drop me in Charleston. I will see what I can learn while
you keep your lady safe.”
Slayers? Satan damn them all. Robert never should have
allowed Willy to go free.
* * *
Willy balanced on leaden legs. Yellow light from the late
afternoon sun streamed through grimy windows along the upper section of one
wall. He hated coming to the clinic.
Slayer’s leader ordered he undergo a series of treatments in
an effort to counteract the effects of the vampire bite. The society’s doctor
believed the drug cocktail would free him of the voices talking inside his head
and stop the vampires from tracking him. The antidote
Many vampires would relish taking her away from him. Not making love to her
might be more dangerous than loving her and leaving his mark.
The thought of taking her blood while thrusting deep within
her made him throb with need. But, he didn’t want to cause her harm. “I will
not defile another innocent.”
“Yet you want her. And she is ripe for the taking.”
“Aye. The desire to mark her and feed from her burns in my
gut.” Robert rubbed a hand over his face.
“You will be alone with her in tight quarters for some time
after leaving Charleston. How will you curb your appetites?”
“Celibacy. Clinical blood bags.”
Jagger grimaced. “Stale blood? Better you than me.”
“’Tis palatable.”
“Hardly.” Jagger’s eyes took on a knowing gleam. “You are in
love with her.”
Robert tensed. Was he? No. It was just he’d made a promise,
which he intended to keep. He would ensure her safety.
“She is in danger from a hit man and a lunatic who thinks I
killed his sister. And she is running from the authorities’ good intentions. I
have vowed to protect her.”
“Then you will appreciate my news. I managed to get law
enforcement to back off since she is the victim. All you have left to deal with
is the hit man and the lunatic. Any idea why the nut case thinks you killed his
sister?”
“Not a clue. His name is Willy Smit. He crewed for me up
north before he got called home for a family emergency.”
“Shit!” Jagger’s cold stare bore into Robert. “You know the
situation I helped you with in New Jersey?”
“Aye.”
“The lady’s surname was Smit.”
The sensation of being gut-punched forced Robert back a
step. Jagger referred to the vampire groupie with the purple tinted hair. Could
she be related to Willy?
“Please. Tell me she did not die.”
“She was very ill after—”
“Jagger!” Robert roared.
“She did not die, but she was quite ill and is still at the
safe house recovering. Her family is unaware of her whereabouts. Maybe he is
her brother.”
“If so, I have been careless. They both know what I am.”
Robert told his friend everything that happened the night he
spent with the girl. Her seduction of him. The violent sex. The blood. All of
it. Then he showed him the silver mage dagger Willy had carried.
“Damn. This is serious.” Jagger pushed the blade away with a
handkerchief as if merely touching it offended him. “Do you know what this is?”
“I fear I might. I hoped you would tell me my concerns are
unwarranted.”
“I wish I could, but I can’t. The society must not have
perished as we thought. If Willy is one of them, there will be an army hounding
you from now on.”
“Then you better stay away from me, before the society
realizes what you are.”
“You have saved me more often than I can count. I will watch
your back, as you have mine. I will not abandon you because some misguided
slayers are after you.”
“You have been a true friend.” Robert embraced Jagger. “Will
you keep the dagger for me? I dinnae want it near Kimberly.” He slid the
ancient weapon of annihilation into its sheath.
Jagger’s lips twisted into a distasteful frown. Robert
thought he might refuse, but Jagger picked up the leather-encased dagger and
stowed it in the satchel he carried.
“Drop me in Charleston. I will see what I can learn while
you keep your lady safe.”
Slayers? Satan damn them all. Robert never should have
allowed Willy to go free.
* * *
Willy balanced on leaden legs. Yellow light from the late
afternoon sun streamed through grimy windows along the upper section of one
wall. He hated coming to the clinic.
Slayer’s leader ordered he undergo a series of treatments in
an effort to counteract the effects of the vampire bite. The society’s doctor
believed the drug cocktail would free him of the voices talking inside his head
and stop the vampires from tracking him. The antidote
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