One Immortal - Tia Louise Page 0,26
you read shifter minds? Is he going to kill me?” In a flash of horror, I have another thought. “Is Derek a shifter?”
No. He couldn’t be…
“Slow down!” She’s off the bed, catching my hands again. “He’s not going to kill you! Patrick isn’t like that. He doesn’t hunt vampires for sport.”
My eyes go huge. “But he does hunt them.”
“Let me finish telling you what happened!”
We ease down onto the bed, but I can’t stop shaking. He’s nowhere near us, but I’m overcome with the sensation I might lose my breakfast for real this time. Only I haven’t had breakfast.
“Last night when we found him at Razoo’s, I’d finally figured out what he was. I’d been sorting through the emotions coming at me from him, and it finally clicked.” Her tone is academic. “To answer your question, no, I can’t read his mind. It’s completely different with shifters. I don’t get words, only feelings. I read about it in an online discussion group once. It’s how I knew—”
“Feelings like… anger?”
“Anger, happiness, irritation, hunger, desire.” She falls back on the bed again and a dreamy quality enters her voice. “Oh, Mel, he’s so sexy and so fun. He’s perfect for me. I can’t believe I’m so lucky!”
“You sound like you’re going to marry him.” Her body stills at my words, and she leans up on her elbows to look at me.
“Are you insane?” I cry. “You just met him yesterday!”
“Shifters imprint, Mel.”
My jaw drops, and for a second I can only blink at her. “You think he imprinted on you?”
“I know he did, and it’s the strongest, the most intense thing I’ve ever felt in my life!” She does a little shiver.
“But… You’re just accepting it? Without question? What if he’s abusive? What if he’s a murderer? What if he’s in the underworld?”
“Well, technically we’re all in the underworld. You in particular—”
“You know what I mean! What if he’s hiding something horrible?”
“He’s not. We spent all last night talking and catching up and making love.” She smiles, and her face glows. “We had to encounter each other at some point. It’s how it goes for them. He had to find me. It was unavoidable.”
“You are not a shifter. You are not bound by their—whatever it is. Their rules. You can walk away.”
Her platinum head shakes, and she glances down. “You’re right. I’m not bound by their rules, but I don’t want to walk away.” She smiles so big as she reaches forward and takes my hands again. “Have you seen him? Can you believe my luck?”
“I think you’re being impulsive about something really serious.”
Her eyes narrow, and she pushes my hands away. “I would think after all this time you would trust me. I can read minds, after all.”
“I’m sorry.” I reach for her hands again, and she lets me take them. “You’re right. He’s gorgeous, and he does seem very fun—from twenty feet away. I’m just… I’m not very good at optimism these days.”
“Come here.” A sad little smile pulls her lips as we hug each other. “You’re going to be just as lucky, I promise. We’re going to fix this.”
My eyes heat, and I’m afraid I might cry. Instead, I clear my throat, remembering the other part of her story that concerned me the most. “You said something about Derek. What was that?”
“Oh!” She’s back to excited. “He’s a vampire hunter as well. One of the top guys in his field, in paranormal investigations.”
“Oh my god.” My head goes light. “Oh my god, Elaine.” I lean forward, pushing my hands into the sides of my dark hair.
“I thought you’d be happy!” She’s watching me with a frown. “If anyone would know of a cure, it would be someone who specializes in vampires, don’t you think?”
I bit him. Oh my god, I bit a vampire hunter. His blood is swimming in my veins. Oh my god. Was I cursed as a child? Born under a bad sign?
Elaine hops up and catches me, stopping my rocking. “You know it drives me crazy that I can’t hear you anymore. Why are you so freaked out by this?”
For the first time in my life I’m thankful she can’t read my thoughts. “I’m a vampire,” I deflect. “He hunts me.”
“First, you are not a vampire. Not until you make your first kill. Second, I can’t think of anyone more qualified to help you! I told you he has powerful feelings for you.”
With a shudder, I can’t imagine his feelings are as powerful as mine, and