He paused as he listened to whoever was on the other end.
Amanda watched him closely. It amazed her that he was able to talk without showing his fangs, but he disguised them well.
And now that she thought about it, how could a vampire be so tanned and warm? How could he have a pulse and a heartbeat?
Weren't vampires supposed to be the cold, pale undead?
"Yes," Hunter said. "I need a ride out of here, preferably before the sun gets any higher."
The Dark-Hunter turned the phone off and tossed it out the window to the construction worker.
"Hey!" she snapped, reaching out of the window to reclaim the phone. "I need that."
"Who are you going to call?" Hunter asked menacingly.
"None of your damn business."
Hunter took the phone out of her hand. "As long as we're attached, it is my business."
She narrowed her eyes on him as she grabbed the phone. "Mess with me, buster, and I'll take another two steps to my right."
His heated glare sent a shiver over her. "Don't you dare call your sister."
The seething look on his face made her rethink pushing her luck. She handed the phone back to the worker. "Thanks," she said.
The construction worker clipped the phone to his belt and gave them a chiding stare. "You know, you two need to get out of there. This b-"
The Dark-Hunter held his hand up and the man's eyes went blank, empty. "There's no one in the building. Go do whatever you need to do."
The man walked off without another word.
Mind control? Amanda gaped at Hunter.
Of course he had mind control. He was a vampire.
"You better not use that on me," Amanda said.
"Don't worry. You're too strong-willed for it to work."
"Good."
"Not from where I'm standing, it isn't."
Though the words were edged, there was an amused light in the depths of his eyes that said he wasn't as peeved as he sounded.
She looked askance at him. He was leaning nonchalantly against a post with his eyes closed, and yet she had the distinct impression that he was alert to everything around them, both inside the building and out.
"Why did you become a vampire?" she asked before she could think better of it. "Did someone turn you against your will?"
He opened his eyes and cocked a brow at that. "No one becomes a Dark-Hunter unless they are willing."
"And you were willing to..." Her voice trailed off as she expectantly waited for him to explain.
"To sacrifice a nosy little human if she doesn't stop pestering me."
She should be frightened of him and yet she kept hearing Desiderius's words in her mind telling her that he would never harm a human.
Was it true?