Wicked Love - Michelle Dare Page 0,51

care of.

I gripped Daniela by the waist. “You didn’t have to pay for my drink, girl. I would have gotten it.”

She grinned up at me and then planted a kiss on my cheek. “It’s fine, I have my own money, silly.”

Point taken.

We found a corner table and sipped our drinks while we watched the other patrons. The blonde girl intrigued me. Not in a sexual way but just because I couldn’t figure out what she was. She wore black leather pants, a dark-colored tank top, and had a big-ass fancy-looking dagger strapped to her thigh. Her hair was in a complicated braid that hung over her shoulder and she looked as if she took no shit from anyone. I thought maybe she was a hunter, but judging from the company she kept, that would be a little strange. Everyone at her table seemed to be enthralled with whatever she was talking about.

“Do you think she’s hot? Because she kind of is.”

I looked over to see Daniela with a bloody mary paused at her lips.

Shaking my head, I lifted my beer to my mouth and said, “Not particularly. She’s just kinda mysterious.”

Daniela chuckled. “Not really. She’s just… trying to figure out what she is.”

That got my attention.

I set my glass on the table and looked Daniela dead in her light-brown eyes. “What she is? What the hell does that mean?” I feigned ignorance.

She set her drink down and reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “Listen, Judson. There’s something I have to tell you.”

Oh, shit. I knew where this was going.

10

Daniela

He knew about vampires. I obviously knew he knew about them. Yes, it was a bitch move to choose to tell him about me in a bar full of fucking vampires, witches, and whatever else was in here. The blonde girl with the braid—I could tell she was a werewolf, but she seemed to be something else, too. The whole place was packed with supes, and I knew telling Judson about me in a quiet, private place would not end well. But I had to tell him. He knew we existed. I had to tell him that I knew that he knew.

Crap. This was getting complicated.

“Stop,” Judson said before I could get the words out. “I need to tell you something first.”

I chewed my lip and shook my head. “I don’t know. I think I need to tell you first.”

“I know about vampires.”

“I’m a vampire.”

We said it at the same time. Shock registered on his face, but not on mine.

The entire Moon Chasers crowd seemed to stop what they were doing… and focus on us.

“Don’t worry, we’re good!” I cried, standing up. “Super good, y’all.” The tension was enormous. I had to try to diffuse it somehow. I could see the werewolf with her hand on her thigh dagger and I wanted no part of that shit.

I looked straight into her yellow eyes. “We’re totally good. You have my word.”

She nodded slightly and then turned her attention back to her tablemates. It was then I noticed a very good-looking dark-haired vampire in a shiny suit come over and put his hand on her shoulder. She smiled at his touch and then said something about me to him while looking at me. He glanced over at us and I swallowed hard. He was definitely a vamp and looked like he could kick both our asses with one hand tied behind his back. I looked away and back to Judson.

“So, you know about vampires.” I lowered my voice. “I know you know about vampires.”

He studied me hard for a minute. “And you know that I know that you’re one?”

My eyebrows rose. “Well, no, not until now. So… if you’re looking for vengeance, why haven’t you tried to kill me?”

He glanced around the bar and then back to me. “You sure we should be having this conversation here? So many vampires.”

I grinned. “Why do you think I brought you here?”

“Not cool, Dani.” His jaw ticked.

“Look,” I said, wondering how much information I should divulge. “I need you to tell me why you’re luring vamps to their deaths.”

“I…” he stammered. “I’m…” Judson seemed to be tongue-tied. “I don’t lure them to their deaths. I follow them. But the last few… they seem to be gone when I try to find them.”

Beginning to think coming here was a bad idea, I said, “You know, we should probably go someplace more private.”

Judson cocked his head to the side. “Like where?”

“Your place?” I suggested.

“Seriously? I’m not sure