Page 30 of A Bond Beyond Blood

I dropped the smile as soon as she disappeared back into her apartment.As I put the car into reverse and pulled out of the lot behind the butcher shop, I scanned the area.The parking lotreekedof vampires—and none that I knew.So, though it didn’t smell like Carmine’s usual goons, I couldn’t be too careful, not where Jacqueline was concerned.

Driving around the block, I parked out of sight, then climbed out quickly and hurried back on foot.

I’d just check the perimeter and the shop itself, make sure she was safe, then be on my way.

If Carmine or his underlings had tracked me to her place, whether last night or a few days ago, there was a very good chance she was now on the old man’s radar.

And if he or any of his men got close to her, close enough to scent that hint of vampire that ran through her veins even though she was wholly and inarguably human...

Well, I didn’t know what that meant but I knew Carmine would be intrigued.

And nothing good would come of a man like Carmine Donati becoming intrigued with my girl.

Again, I cursed myself for not being completely honest with her about her ability to fight.She was strong, sure, trained well enough, thanks to me, and could easily take down ahumanman with what I’d taught her.But a vampire was another thing entirely.

I needed to tell her the truth.

I’d been selfish with that information because of fear.If she learned that my training couldn’t save her against one of my kind—inevitably rendering her useless against the one she wanted to hunt—she’d likely stop coming to our sessions.

It made me a selfish bastard, I knew, but I couldn’t let her go.So I’d spent months training her under the false belief that anything I taught her would matter against one of my kind.

I crept silently along the edge of the building until I stood just beneath her balcony.Looking up, I smiled as I listened to her humming something as she moved about the apartment.

For now, she was safe.As far as I knew, she’d only invited one vampire inside her home—and I’d die before I hurt her.So with one final glance above, I moved to the back door of the butcher shop and tried the knob, happy to find it locked this time.I’d swiped her keyring while she wasn’t paying attention, too caught up in the Christmas display I’d created for her while she slept.A small infraction when considering her safety.I would return her keys once I’d searched the store and the perimeter to ensure her safety.

The butcher shop opened at nine, which meant I had a good thirty minutes before she would need to come down here and get the store ready for the rush of ham and turkey pickup orders that likely accompanied Christmas Eve.I’d sneak in while she was getting ready for work, return the key, and leave without her knowing a thing.

As soon as I stepped inside Fiorino’s Meats, the door swung shut behind me and someone snapped, “Who the fuck are you?”

I turned toward the sound, ready for a fight.“Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing.”

“How do you know Jackie?”

I smirked, but didn’t answer the kid.He certainly wasn’t in the position to ask questions.

As my eyes adjusted to the pitch-black darkness inside the shop, I assessed my opponent, such as he was.A bit younger than me—both in human age and vampiric years—he stank of immaturity and inexperience.It was in the cocky lift of his chin and that fearless glint in his eyes even when presented with a vampire who was stronger and older than him.

He had black hair and eyes the color of coffee left too long in the pot.In jeans and a white t-shirt beneath a well-worn leather jacket, his clothes gave away nothing about who he was, but there was something familiar about his face.

I canted my head to the side as I studied him.

Those dark eyes...I’d seen them before.

Albeit, in the photograph upstairs, they hadn’t been full of pent-up rage.

As the pieces fell into place, I almost laughed at the absurdity of it all.His photo had been on the dresser of Jacqueline’s old bedroom, though she’d flipped it onto its face to hide the image.

Was this the vampire she’d been training to kill?The douchebag ex-boyfriend who didn’t deserve her time—or the money she’d spent on my instruction?

Thispucchiacc?

If that was the case, my girl and I needed to have a talk about frivolous spending.

“She is not going to be happy to see you, kid.”

He growled and charged, but I had him on his back on the floor in the blink of an eye.

Struggling, he swung at me, fists pummeling my arm and shoulder.

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