Page 9 of Secret of the Vampire
He wasn’t patronizing me. Killian would never do that. He respected my intelligence, if not my ability to look after myself. And honestly, I couldn’t really blame him there. I had been an awkward human, and I was more times than not a complete failure as a vampire. Besides my eyesight never correcting itself, I didn’t appreciate any of the things my new life as a supernatural creature could give me, preferring to stay home and read when I wasn’t at work. I didn’t even enjoy the excitement of the hunt. I got my meals from the women the guys lured into our private room.
Honestly, I was surprised Killian had kept me after he’d turned me.
To answer his question, I gave him a nod and took another drink. “Mm-hmm. I felt it, Killian. The hatred. The sorcery. But it wasn’t one of Judy’s coven.” Having lived so close to them for so many years, we were all familiar with the feel of that particular group of witches.
His drink sat on the counter, forgotten. “Why the fuck didn’t you call me?”
“Because I didn’t want anything to happen to you.” This was true. Although I believed, ultimately, Killian might be able to overtake Alex if he could get past his warlock’s spells, he would not be able to defeat the entire coven of witches who would come to get their revenge if he hurt one of their own. They would force him out into the sun and burn him alive.
If he was lucky.
“It was something really dark, Killian. And it felt horribly familiar.” My voice was thick with tears and the fear I finally allowed myself to feel.
In a flash, he was around the counter and holding me in his arms, one hand pressing my head to his shoulder. “You should’ve called me,” he insisted.
I started to tremble as the events of the night hit me all at once. I was scared. A hell of a lot more scared than I’d let on to Alex.
A wave of anger surrounded me, but only for a moment before it was quickly retracted.
Wait. That wasn’t Killian.
Opening my eyes, I met the furious glare of Alex through the glass. Widening my eyes, I lifted my hand and waved him away.
“What’s going on?” a female voice said.
I quickly gripped Killian again and let myself take comfort in my maker’s arms for a few more seconds before I pulled away, stealing a quick glance out the window to make sure Alex had left, and faced Lizzy, Killian’s mate. “I’m sorry,” I told her. “I had a rough night.”
“Someone came after Kenya tonight,” Killian spoke over me, his hands still on my arms.
Immediately, she was by my side. Her hands joined her mate’s as she looked me over, panic in her pretty brown eyes. “Oh, my God. Kenya! Are you okay? Did anything happen? Why didn’t you call me?”
Even the new witch who knew practically nothing about magic was offering to protect me. “I’m fine,” I told her. “I went back inside the club and locked myself in until it was safe to come home.”
Killian stepped away and gave me up to Lizzy’s concern. Her dark hair was in wild disarray, she had no makeup on, and she was wearing a T-shirt that was too big on her—Killian’s, if I remembered correctly. She was still stunning.
“What were you thinking?” he asked me. “Locking yourself in the club was probably the worst thing you could’ve done.”
“Apparently not. Because it worked,” I told him. “I just waited it out, and eventually it left.” I shrugged. “He clearly didn’t want to be seen by any residents of the city.”
“You know it’s a him, then?”
“No, I don’t,” I told him honestly. “But that’s the feeling I got. Maybe it was just all of the frustration and anger.”
Lizzy harrumphed, earning her a look from the lone male in the room before he turned back to me.
“And he just left?” Killian asked. “Just like that?”
“Could it be another vampire?” Lizzy said. “I’m just thinking with the sun coming up, that maybe that’s why they left.” She shrugged as though to sayI got nothing else. “Is there anyone else who’s sensitive to sunlight?”
Killian and I both shook our heads. “Not that I’m aware of,” he told her. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he crossed his arms over his middle and paced away.
Lizzy turned me toward her. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
I returned her smile. “Yeah, me too.”
“I wish I could stay with you, but I need to get ready to go to the voodoo shop.”
She gave me one last, quick hug and made to rush off, but Killian suddenly appeared in front of her. Lizzy crashed into his chest and his hands shot out to steady her. “I don’t want you going there today,” he told her.
