Blood Secrets - By Jeannie Holmes Page 0,34
you here for no reason!” He shook her and she howled again. “Tell me who you talked to and I may let you live.”
The girl sobbed hysterically but she rattled off several names, people he didn’t know.
“That’s all of them?” he asked.
She nodded.
He tugged on her shirt, lifting her torso from the floor, and kissed her, tasting the blood that filled her mouth. He shivered as random memories flooded his mind.
She gasped for air when he broke away, only to have it leave in a rush as his fangs sank into the tender flesh of her neck.
Blood gushed into his mouth but he didn’t swallow it. He shook his head like a dog with a favorite toy, digging his fangs deeper and shredding tissue.
Amber Lynn’s heart raced, pumping more of her blood through her system. Little gurgles were the only noise to escape her rapidly paling lips.
Kirk released his hold on her, and she flopped against the cabinet, struggling for breath. He cocked his head, watching for a moment, and then stood. He walked to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. Twisting off the cap, he gulped down half of the bottle while listening to Amber Lynn’s feeble attempts to draw a breath grow weaker and finally cease.
The lingering smell of blood made his stomach rumble. He set the beer down on the counter and picked through the freezer section of the refrigerator. He selected a couple of Philly Steak & Cheese Hot Pockets and tossed them in the microwave. While they heated, he moved back to Amber Lynn.
Her eyes were wide and staring at a fixed point somewhere beyond Kirk’s shoulder.
He squatted beside her, picked up an arm, checked for a pulse, and finding none, allowed her arm to drop. Her hand smacked a puddle of blood, spraying his bare feet with dark droplets.
She’d given him half a dozen names, all students. He knew from experience most could be bought or scared into silence. For now, however, the major information leak was plugged.
Kirk stood, licked the traces of blood from his fingers, and grabbed his Hot Pockets. Sliding them onto a plate, he retrieved his beer and stepped over Amber Lynn’s prone body. He settled on the couch, picked up his game controller, turned off the soft music that had continued to play, and resumed his game.
Alex and Varik both lay unconscious on the ground beside the car. Tasha motioned for Tony to follow her. “We have to help them.”
Damian held out his arm to stop her. “Do not touch them.”
“You saw what happened. They could be hurt. We can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
“You can and you will, Lieutenant.”
“They need help! We have to get them to the hospital!”
Damian shook his head. “Moving their bodies could put both their lives in jeopardy.”
“What?”
“Save your breath, Chief Alberez,” the female vamp—Tasha had heard Varik call her Morgan—said. “Humans aren’t capable of understanding the metaphysical ramifications of what just occurred.”
“Excuse me?” Tasha rounded on her. “I understand a hell of a lot more than you think, lady! I may not fully understand this blood-bond thing Alex and Varik share, but I have a pretty good idea that whatever just occurred has something to do with that bond.”
Perfectly sculpted brows rose over the rims of Morgan’s sunglasses and she focused on Damian. “Blood-bond?” Her voice dropped an octave. “Why wasn’t the Tribunal informed of Enforcers Sabian and Baudelaire’s bonding, Chief?”
With Damian glaring at her, Tasha suddenly felt like a child who’d revealed a secret to the one person from whom it was meant to be kept.
“It’s a recent development,” Damian answered.
Morgan moved to stand over the unconscious Enforcers. “I don’t see fresh bites. Scars, yes, but nothing I would declare as recent.” She shifted her attention back to Damian. “Would you care to revise your statement, Chief?”
“Alex attacked Varik a month ago,” Tasha said, earning a disapproving look from Damian and one of curiosity from Morgan. “I was told that by doing so she reinforced a bond that already existed.”
Damian groaned and swiped a hand over his face.
“Interesting.” Morgan carefully picked her way through the weeds to stand before Tasha. “And when was this bond first established, Lieutenant?”
Tasha glanced at Damian who kept his gaze heavenward.
“I’m asking you,” Morgan said, “since Chief Alberez seems to be either ignorant of the situation or unwilling to share.”
“Six years ago, in Louisville.”
“I see. How did you come by this information?”
“Stephen, Alex’s brother, told me. I was asking him questions about Varik.”
“What made you seek