Chapter 8

When I awoke, I found myself in my own bed. Was it a dream? It had to be, I mean vampires aren’t real, and even if they were real, they wouldn’t be inviting random scientists to dinner parties. The whole thing seemed so surreal, as if my imagination was so bored with my life it just took over and decided to go nuts.

My head felt heavy as I sat up, and that was right when the pain came alive. Like migraine on steroids level pain. I unconsciously placed my hand on my forehead, and I felt a goose egg. The lump was so hot, and the heat radiated through my entire forehead. If this was all a dream, then why is my forehead all lumpy?

“Oh good, you’re up,” a voice said. A male voice that sounded familiar. I felt around for my glasses on my nightstand and located them. As I put them on, the handsome stranger that saved me stood in my bedroom doorway. His name was Ryan, but I couldn’t put my finger on how exactly I knew that.

He smiled. “You had a bit of a spill.”

Then my memories all came rushing back in—the dinner party, James, Ryan confronting James, discovering a secret passage in what must have been James’ bedroom, seeing the body in the cellar.

And Galen.

“Did I really run into a wall and knock myself out?” I muttered.

“Is that what happened?” His bright blue eyes, like Dune spice blue, gazed into mine. “Galen said he didn’t do anything. I’m glad that wasn’t a lie.” His smile faded, as he looked down.

“Guessing you came in after that? I don’t remember.”

He suddenly looked up and moved over to me in a hurry. “How do you feel?”

“Well I mean other than the splitting headache…” I paused, hearing myself. This dude probably saved my life, again, and I’m complaining about a headache? “I’m fine.”

“Would you mind if I looked you over real quick?”

I nodded, interested to see what kind of examination he had in mind. What was he looking for?

He pulled the covers back, exposing my legs. He turned one foot and then the other, appearing to observe them. Then he turned my wrists over to see the undersides. At some point, I had lost my shirt, but the cami I wore underneath was still on. He gently pushed my hair back and tilted my head, running his fingers along the back of my neck. His proximity, the feel of his touch…it was all starting to seriously turn me on. He tilted my head the other way, observing the other side of my neck.

“What exactly are you looking for?” I asked. The headache grew worse, and saying the words caused it to pound on each syllable. I squinted, taking a deep breath and exhaling.

“Bite marks.” He stopped, and simply just observed me.

There was no denying it now. If Galen was a vampire, and Ryan was in the family, that had to mean…

“You’re one of them, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but—”

Somehow hearing him acknowledge it, even though I had suspected as much, just freaked me right out. I scrambled to my feet, landing on the other side of the bed. “The body in the cellar, is that how you feed? By killing humans?”

“No. At least I didn’t think so. James promised me it was strictly animals.”

“So the body I saw,” I said softly. “Who was it?”

“I don’t know. Something must’ve happened.” He took a deep breath and exhaled, and I felt my cheeks blush as he ran his fingers through his hair in a frustrated manner. Which of course was just effortlessly sexy.

“How did you know where I lived?”

“I didn’t. Found your address on your license.”

I had no reason to think he was lying. But all I had were suspicions. The whole night seemed like a bad dream sequence in a B-horror movie.

And then I remembered a single detail about last night that caused the worst sinking feeling in my stomach. I didn’t attend that dinner party alone.

“Amy!” I grabbed my purse and sifted through the contents until I found my cell phone. When I called her, it went straight to voicemail.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t know what happened to your friend. I fear the worst, if they’ve resorted to feeding on humans.”

“I have to get her.” I quickly slipped on a t-shirt and slinked out of the skirt, switching it for jeans instead.

“I wouldn’t recommend it. They all know your scent now.”

I grabbed my purse from the bed and moved past him, but then as I was about to leave my bedroom, he was suddenly in the doorway blocking me.

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said. “She may already be lost.”

“Lost? What the hell does that mean?” I gazed up into his gorgeous blue eyes. “How can you live there, with them, and possibly care about me?”

His gaze dropped to the floor. “I don’t want to hurt people. It’s hard to explain, but James is my best friend. He’s my family, he takes care of me.” He continued to avoid my gaze. “He takes care of us all.”

“If that’s true, why did you rescue me then?” I folded my arms against my chest. “Why not bring me to James?”

“I had to get you away from Galen.” His eyes grew dark. “If James knew about that body, there’s no telling what he would do with you. Especially considering he invited you there.”

I gulped. I should’ve been freaked out, but the fact that Ryan brought me to my home, away from the rest of his “family,” convinced me he had my best intentions at heart.

“Will you help me?” I took hold of his hands. I’m not sure why, but I felt more comfortable around him than any of the other (few) men in my life.

“Of course.” He planted a kiss on my forehead, and it sent a delicious chill down my spine. “I don’t want to see your friend get hurt either.”

“First, I need a brain dump,” I said.

“A what?” The way his lips curled up slightly when he was confused was the cutest thing ever. He was making it very hard to focus.

“Tell me all the rules about being a…” I felt so silly saying it. “…vampire. I’m sure Hollywood got some of it wrong.”

He laughed. “Most of it, actually. But there are a couple of things that are true. Sunlight can kill us.”

“Shoot. How can you help then?”

“If the exposure is minimal, I can survive it. I heal faster than most.”

With a novel virus raging through the streets, I found myself titillated at that prospect. Oh the trials I could put his blood through… I might be able to develop a cure with it.

“We seriously need to discuss that later. But for now…” I shook my head to clear my growing enthusiasm. “If your kind is nocturnal, it’s plausible most of them would be asleep now, right?”

He nodded.

“Then it would just be a matter of finding her,” I reasoned. “Well, that, and getting inside.”

“I can get us inside, don’t worry about that.” A sly grin appeared on his handsome face. “You’ll have to play along with me though.”

I wondered for a second if I should be worried. But that’s all it lasted. Somewhere deep in my gut, I knew he was on my side. Which was strange, since I wasn’t the kind of person to rely on gut instinct. Still, this felt different. Nothing in my life ever felt this right.

I provided him an oversized hoodie that almost fit him, for going outside. It at least provided cover for his head and neck, but the indirect sunlight still managed to burn his skin as we ran to his vehicle. The classic car was all black, with windows tinted so dark, they had to be illegal. I watched in amazement as his skin returned to normal in seconds.

On the ride over, we exchanged cell phone numbers in case we somehow got separated. Then Ryan went over a few of the rules. I saw the fangs myself, so I knew they were real. The stuff about crucifixes and garlic was just wrong. Also the no reflection thing, which I surmised was likely tied into the other two—the whole soullessness thing. I kept wondering if the vampiric disease wasn’t really a disease at all, but an evolutionary leap. Still the tradeoffs… it wasn’t something I’d wish for myself.

Shapeshifting into a bat? Pure fiction. And the glittering in the sunlight? Well it was more like a flesh-eating virus in overdrive. An exchange of blood was required from another vampire to be turned. But contrary to the movies, it wasn’t something that happened very often. James was careful to keep the “family” small. I asked about the biological stuff, like eating and their internal organs and systems. Eating was off the board—vampires couldn’t process food; it just came right back up. He didn’t know much about how internal systems worked, which only made me eager to autopsy a vampire. Did their hearts beat? Were their lungs functional? So many questions…

Something Hollywood did get right—coffins. They really are super dark. Also, the whole hypnosis thing. Most vampires can persuade their victims to submit. Makes the blood acquisition easier. Skilled vampires could maintain control, never allowing their victims to leave. Feeding off them a little at a time. Plus whatever else they wanted to do… Out of everything we talked about, that’s what scared me most. Losing your control, being forced to do someone else’s bidding…it was my worst nightmare.

As we approached the gates to the estate I asked, “Should I duck down?”

He shook his head. “Act like you’re really into me,” he whispered.

I blushed, thinking it wouldn’t be much of an act. I slid closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. When the car pulled to a stop, I draped my arm across his chest.

His hard chest, built of solid muscle. A wave of warmth passed through me, and it felt like the heater was on full blast.

“Ryan?” The guard peered into the car. “I thought you were gone.”

“Only to fetch this pretty one.” He grabbed a lock of my hair. “I’m sure James wants her back.”

“He said you can’t be trusted.” The guard frowned, his eyes uncertain.

“I’m ready to serve,” I said to Ryan, loud enough for the guard to hear. Then I nuzzled his neck and nibbled his ear. Playing along, as he’d said.

Riiiiight.

Did his body just shudder?

“Surely you can smell her intoxicating scent?” Ryan murmured, his voice uneven. “She’s special.”

Intoxicating scent? I made a mental note to ask him about that later.

The guard eyed me. “If that’s true, James will want her for sure. Though, she seems to prefer you.”

I repositioned my hand on his thigh and slowly moved it upwards.

Ryan let out a fake laugh. “Please… Please excuse us.”

“Of course,” he said, and then smiled ever so creepily. Looking at me as if I were some kind of dessert.

As soon as we drove past, I sat back up and slid back into my passenger seat. Ryan shook his head. “That was…uh, very convincing.”

I smiled. “Good. That’s what I was going for.”

He parked his car in what appeared to be a massive garage, filled with a lot of luxury cars, some I wasn’t even familiar with. We both got out, and I noticed Ryan adjusting himself, just outside the driver door.

I cocked an eyebrow.

“What?” he said. “I was convinced.”

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, when I remembered why we were there. In the very lair of the enemy.

To save my friend.

With them all sleeping, there was a chance I could get in and out of there alive.

At least that’s what I thought. Until James appeared in the doorway.