Page 47 of Shadow Hunter

Club Fantasy was nearly as dead as the majority of its patrons when Tiffany strode through the front entrance. It was still too early in the evening for all the vamps to be wide-eyed and awake yet. They could survive sunlight, but they sure didn’t like it, and it left one hell of a skin rash. She made her way through the virtually empty club to where Caius normally held court each night, but he wasn’t there yet.

What was he doing before his club’s initial rush came in?

As Tiffany tried to puzzle that out, Janette, one of Caius’s regular Feeds, strolled by, her hips swaying side to side as her blood-red pumps floated across the carpeting. Tiffany tapped her shoulder. The bleached blonde spun around, her face so pale the contrast with her fire-engine red lips was almost frightening. A fresh pair of fang marks were visible just beneath her golden tresses, making her look more like the walking dead than a human. It was…startling, really.

Then again, for all intents and purposes shewasthe walking dead.

Unless she managed to get herself out of Caius’s clutches. It wouldn’t be much longer and the regular blood loss of being aHost would start to take its toll on her health, or worse, she’d be drained. Maybe made into a vamp.

Tiffany met Janette’s eyes. “Do you know where Caius is?”

Janette scanned her, sizing up how much of a threat Tiffany was to her own position in Caius’s bed. She must have thought the answer was “not much,” because she shrugged before she said, “He’s in his office.”

“Thanks,” Tiffany muttered. She brushed past the other woman and hightailed it toward the other side of the club, only to be met by Caius’s closed office door, which meant he either wanted privacy as he banged another helpless Host on top his desk or he was meeting with someone.

Tiffany glanced up and down the hall, ensuring she was alone, before she pressed her ear against the door.

Please don’t let me hear any hot and heavy moaning.

She could do without those mental images.

“Yes, I’m very pleased with how it’s been spreading.” Caius’s voice was muffled but clear enough she could make it through the door.

Her eyes widened.

Caius chuckled. “It’s becoming quite widespread in Seattle now. I think we’re off to a great start. It’s moving faster than I expected.”

A moment of silence passed. From the one-sided nature of the conversation, she realized he was on the phone.

“Absolutely not. I’ll ensure it continues here. No newly transitioned vampire will escape its reach. The hunters won’t know what hit them.”

Tiffany gaped as she backed away from the door. That son of a bitch. Hewashelping to spread the virus. Anger hit her like a kick to the gut. The cosmos really had it in for her today. First Damon, and now her brother’s killer was creating flesh-eating zombies.

Just. Friggin’. Peachy.

She cursed under her breath. She’d been foolish to run off. As much as she wanted to hate Damon for what he’d done to her brother, she needed his help to pull this off.

An empty feeling balled in her stomach. For a moment, as she’d lain in Damon’s arms last night, she’d actually thought she might not be alone anymore.

So much for that.

As quickly as she’d come, Tiffany rushed out the back entrance of the club, nearly jumping out of her skin and pulling her stake as she almost ran headfirst into Damon.

Their eyes locked, and a pained look crossed his face. “Tiffany.”

Despite everything he’d done, a shiver went down her spine, a familiar heat tingling between her legs. She hated herself for it, but somehow, her anger at him almost made her want himmore.

Knowing who he was made her want him more.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped, ignoring the fact that a minute ago she’d been hoping for his help. “Are you following me?”

He let out a sigh and stepped even closer. “I’m making sure you don’t get yourself killed.”

“Get myself killed?” She stepped back. The hell with his help. “Look, just because I’m not a member of the Execution Underground and I don’t have your strength, that doesn’t mean I’m don’t have anything to contribute.” She moved to push past him.

But he reached out and caught her hand. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know that. But I won’t let you out of my sight. I have to protect you. For Mark’s sake.”

Her hands clenched into fists. “For Mark’s sake?”

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