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Time to hunt the hunter

Chapter Six

The shadows in her room were filled with demons, insubstantial creatures thatdarkness Nikki sed and slowly reached under her pillow Her fingers touched the blade of the old silver knife she’d left hidden there, and cold fire leaped across her skin The deain Shifting slightly, she turned on the bedside laht filled the roo like a rock in the pit of her stoes to taunt her, could he do more? Could he somehow control her?

She raised the knife still clenched in her hand Light reflected brightly off its tarnished surface It was part of an old setting she’d found in a second hand shop soo She had no idea how much silver the knife actually contained, and no idea if it would be of any use against Jasper Yet it had felt oddly coht She studied the shadows still crowding the far corners There wasn’t a doubt in herit had somehow made the des fro, she rose and padded barefoot across the dusty floorboards to open the curtains The fading afternoon sunlight strea re to go by, the night was going to be a bitch The wind stirred the nearby oak, scraping branches against the pane and chasing shadows across the footpath below People wearing heavy coats hustled by, intent on getting ho rain hit She crossed her arainst the sill If Jasper was a vaes during the day? Weren’t va the sunlit hours?

Maybe a quick trip to the library was in order Her knowledge of vampires amounted to little more than what she’d seen on the movie screen Which was pretty much all crap, if Michael were to be believed Goose bumps chased themselves up her ar like a lurabbed her robe What she needed right noas coffee to warhts as she went To hell with the power bill tonight Sheher eccentric old neighbors jog past The light outside had al or she’d be late for work--again The hairs on the back of her neck prickled a warning S Jake"

"I wish you wouldn’t do that It’s very annoying"

Background noise told her he was calling frolanced at her watch It was nearing six o’clock, so he had to be on his way hoot there?

"Hey, it’s one of the reasons you e"

The tone of his voice told her it had not been one of his better days "What’s the ain?"

"Worse Monica Trevgard just walked out of the ue" Nikki closed her eyes and tried to control a sudden burst of panic Now that the i to do?

"Did you hear me Nikki? I said"

"I heard" She rubbed a hand across her eyes They had to stop Monica, obviously But where would a newly turned vah her ht to be, she was suddenly glad his thoughts held a hint of distance Monica was loose because she’d refused to believe Yet even knowing the truth, could she have stood by and let hier’s head? She shivered and thrust the ie from her mind

Why home? She asked in confusion

Because she h her soul It was no secret that Monica hated her father Trevgard was in danger

"Still with me, Nik?"

Jake’s voice ainst the phone "Yes And we have big proble co" She rubbed her eyes again, hoping the niggling ache behind her left eye didn’t"Where are you at the moment?"

"Corner of Jackson and Pacific"

"Then you’d better swing around to ard’s I’ll explain hen you get here"

Nikki, no!

She ignored Michael and hung up the phone She finished her coffee in several gulps that burned her throat, then walked back into the bedrooet dressed

Damn it, woman, wait for me You have no idea

It’sher spare set of knives onto her wrists Don’t go alone Wait for rabbed her keys and a sht At the front door, she hesitated, then turned and h her jewelry box, she found the so Bitter memories rose, but she shoved them away and clipped the chain around her neck She had no idea if a cross would offer any protection against vampires, but, like the knife earlier, she felt safer with its coldness pressed against her skin

Jake’s sleek silver Mercedes pulled up as she stepped outside

"What in hell is going on?" he growled once she’d settled into the front seat "Why is it so irimaced How did you sanely approach the subject of vampires? "I left out a few details about Monica e talked last night"

"Like what?" The look he cast her sied Perhaps a direct approach was best "Did the police happen to mention the ard?"

"No"

"It was blood loss"

He gave her a quick, surprised look "The creep cut her up?" "No Her body was hardlythe subject "She only had two marks on her body A small cut on her wrist that was days old and almost healed"

"And?" he prompted, when she hesitated

"Two slanced across and iven Michael the sanificant into that statement?"

"Think, Jake Blood lossPuncture marks?"

"Jeez"

The car swerved violently as he jerked around in surprise Swearing under his breath, Jake battled to get the vehicle under control then pulled over to the side of the road

"Now," he said, applying the hand brake before twisting around to face her "Are you trying to tell me Monica was killed by a vampire?"

"Yes"