Page 57 (1/2)

But he only scented blood now

A soft tremble reached his ears, a sht the nape of Dee’s neck and ed to tip back her head

No moan came from her lips No whisper of life

Too late

No, no—he wouldn’t be too late If she was gone—

Stay, Dee Stay

He wrenched his shoulder but ed to position his wrist over her er He could feel the lick of cold in his own body Not ive her all that he had

His wrist pushed between her lips “Bite s weren’t out Her lips didn’t move

“Bite me!” A snarl of fury She wouldn’t die while he watched

Thud

The slightest press from her teeth

Dee Do it, babe Bite me

“Live,” he whispered

Vampire instinct took over He’d seen it happen before Seen a vampire on the brink of death His teeth had shot out and he’d latched onto his food without conscious thought

Dee’s teeth sank into his flesh His blood trickled into her htened around hiulps as the bloodlust rose

He would not watch her die

Her lashes began to flutter

But fate would make her watch him

“It’s done?” Grim asked as his hunter stalked into the room

A smile stretched the hunter’s lips Slow Satisfied “Both of theet out of that damn metal”

He nodded “Good” Fire had never been the best way to go He saw that now Blood, the slow drain, the agony of knoould co helpless to stop it—

As I had been helpless

—that was the end for his enemies

Grim turned away and stalked to his bed The dancer lay there Still alive, but low on blood He’d let her keep living a while longer He’d rather enjoyed her “Which one do you think will die first?” Not that it reater torment If there was an attachment there, and his vamps had told him the woman and Chase were close

Lovers

The body’s needs and desires could er there His brows drew together “Did so Dee had earned her reputation for a reason

In another life, he ht have admired her

In this life, he just needed her dead

“She took the hardest hits She’ll die long before dusk They both will”

They’d better

“Do you still feel hiuy Leo had turned years before Grirateful bastard but—

Nothing “Maybe he’s already dead” Maybe But the truth was that he hadn’t felt a connection to Chase since the Taken had traded with the warlock

So Chase could still be alive, or he could be dead Again

He glanced over at the bed The dancer ake She’d been awake the whole tiood little girl, pretending to sleep