Page 29 of Shadow Hunter

Sure, shedidwant to know everything about Mark, and being near Damon, well it…felt like a brand-new lifeline to Mark and his world, amongotherthings, and anything that would help her hold onto her brother’s memory was worth fighting for. But she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit there was something more than that happening here.

Even if she wasn’t fully certain what it was yet.

She pressed her ear even closer to the door.

What in the world was she doing, chasing after a hunter like this?

It was bad enough that she’d lost Mark.

But then she had to lose B, too...

She stiffened. Is that what this was about? Reconnecting with B?

He’d been so much more to her than a pen pal. More than Mark had ever recognized.

Part of her hated him for the role he’d played in her brother’s death. The other part, the part that was drawn to Damon like he was a newfound addiction, missed him like hell. She could have used a friend these past three months.

Suddenly, the steel-reinforced door was yanked out from under her ear, causing her to nearly topple into Damon’s chest. She stared up at him, her hands bracing his chest, fully aware that he’d caught her with her heart in her eyes. Boy, she was into this guy something fierce.

Fiercer than she’d ever experienced.

His eyes softened momentarily. “As much as I love the sight of you there, Shortcake, we need to leave.” He brushed past her.

Looking into the room behind him, she spotted what he was hiding: a control room that wouldn’t have been out of place at NASA. “What the hell?”

Damon slammed the door shut, his eyes darting toward her briefly as if to check that she’d regained her balance. Confident she was okay, he hurried past her in a full-on jog. A moment later she heard his steel-toed boots clomp up the staircase.

What the hell was going on?

She raced after him.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she watched as he threw open the doors of a walk-in closet lined with weapons.

Whoa.Mr. Tall, Dark and Scary sure packed a whole lot of heat.

He shoved various weapons into the military loops on his belt before he slammed the closet doors shut, thundering down the stairs again as if she weren’t even there.

She followed. “What’s going on?”

He grabbed his jacket and gun from the counter, slipping the jacket on and tucking the gun into place before she could blink.

“You wanted to play vampire hunter for a night. Now’s your chance.” He wrenched open his front door. “So, if you’re coming along, then haul ass. If not, stay here and keep this door locked no matter what.”

He nearly closed the door on her as she rushed after him.

She stayed at his heels as he ran out to the street before she grabbed his shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“There’s another victim nearby. The vamp probably ghosted it by now, but to be safe, hold your stake at the ready and follow my lead.”

A shot of adrenaline raced through her, and her brain switched to hunting mode.

Naturally, she’d heard about the recent killings, but that was too big of a case for her to get near. Not while she still had her sights on Caius. Yet he was treating her like a colleague.

Like she belonged here.

With him.

Pushing any concerns and questions, aside for later, she raced after him.

---