Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,25

moment every question was revealing her shortcomings.

“Bugger, I forgot about that,” Niall grumbled. “I’ll get some from the general supply store while she’s sleeping.”

Evan nodded, gave her a half smile. “He told you he knew nothing about being a proper servant. You may have to teach him a thing or two, Alanna.”

“Aye, and then I’ll have to find a proper nancy vampire to do all that crap for. Ye should be in bed yourself. Way past your bedtime.”

“I can stay up quite a bit later here. The age of the mountain helps.”

Niall shifted behind her. Realizing she was still leaning against him, she straightened, stood on her own two feet. When he did the same, taking his hips off the ladder, he was still pressed close behind her, Evan right in front. While her arm was throbbing, other parts of her were as well, used to being offered to a vampire whenever he desired her, fed from her.

Because of her mixed response, the men were reining themselves back. She wanted to scream, but throwing a tantrum wasn’t in the repertoire of proper InhServ responses, was it?

Touching Alanna’s cheek with his knuckles, Evan bent, put his lips to her forehead. “If you wish to accompany Niall and pick up a few things for yourself, you may.”

Then he turned away to his trays, his head bent attentively over them.

Niall gave Alanna a wry smile. Their vampire Master was done with them for now. Alanna was grateful for the Scot’s steadying touch as she made her way back up. A roiling stomach, the sensation of prickling lava and icy frost coursing through her arm, as well as the stricken feeling in her chest, weren’t conducive to good balance.

Before Niall dropped the trap door that would hide Evan from her sight, she looked back down once more at the vampire studying his pictures. His gray eyes were intent, long fingers moving the images under their wavering layer of pungent fluid.

She was a ship cut adrift, not sure if she was headed into a storm or calm seas. Not knowing, not being prepared, that was the worst part. If she was an InhServ worth anything, she would figure it out. Soon.

4

SHE’D vaguely remembered passing the general store at the bottom of the mountain, but hadn’t recognized it as a store. The large building had a rusty tin roof and gravel parking lot, surrounded by clumps of scrub. While the inventory inside was organized, there had been no attempt made to create eye-catching displays. Clothes were stacked on tables or hung up on a clothesline over them. Shoes were filed along another wall. Every available space was crammed full of foodstuffs, tools, deer corn, firearms, and over-the-counter medicines. By the cash register was a large bin of colorful hard candy. The interior smelled of old pine, the walls marked with sap like hardened candle wax.

Niall picked out her hiking shoes, loosened the lacings and put them on a bench made from a split log. The grain had a dull luster, polished by a variety of backsides. “Try these on, see if they’re a fair fit.”

As she took a seat and slipped off her boots, the proprietor ambled over. Given their surroundings, she’d expected a grizzled mountain man, but he was a fit male in his forties, with a clean-shaven face and receding hairline, evident by his close-cropped hairstyle. From the flag displayed behind the register, proudly stating Semper Fi, she deduced he’d been in the Marine Corps.

“Your friend going to be staying with you long, Niall?” he asked, eyeing her with friendly curiosity.

“Depends on how long it takes for law enforcement to track her. Kidnapping a female and bringing her up here to cook and clean for us isnae as easy as it used to be.”

“Yeah, damn it all. Howard Keel made it look so easy.”

“Which reminds me. Ye still have your movie section?”

“Sure do. Including several copies of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”

Niall gave Alanna a grin. “Throw one in the pile, Henry. She can use it as research. See what mountain life’s really like.”

“Yeah, that’ll help.” The man snorted, gave Alanna a second appreciative look. “Might have to come up and see how she’s doing.”

“And I might have to tell Elaine you dinnae have enough to do about the house. That woman will shoot ye in the gut if you stray. Let the coyotes finish you off.”

“You make her sound far more merciful than she is.” Henry nodded to Alanna. “How are those fitting,