Page 37 of Blood Taken (Blood Mafia 2)
"Hiya, boys. Miss me?"
* * *
Grayson
She stands there with her wide smile. It's a hell of a front. If I didn't hear the beating of her heart and the blood rushing through her veins, I wouldn't know she was afraid.
Demi's dark eyes glance over Colt quickly before she looks at me.
"Why am I not surprised you'd find this funny?" she asks me.
I shrug. "I'd rather live my immortal life as if it's one big joke than be serious like these two fuckers."
Snorting, she shifts on her feet when the doors to the Jeep behind her slam shut.
Mateo flashes to Demi and shoves her behind him. The two women still at his movements, holding their hands up. They're both armed.
"Demi," the one who smells like her asks.
"It's fine, Maria.” Demi walks out from behind Mateo. "Grayson, Mateo, Colt—" her voice catches on his name "—this is Maria, my mother, and Nicole."
I glance over the women again, seeing them in a new light. Demi's voice had a hard edge when she said mother. This is the mother who abandoned her. Demi's file mentioned she was adopted. It makes sense her mother would be a Hunter. It doesn't make sense her mother would abandon her.
"Thank you for the ride," she says, and gestures to the three of us. "I think they can take it from here."
Nicole's eyes lock with mine, and I see the death threat crystal clear. If Demi is hurt by any of us, she will come to slaughter us all. One Hunter against the entire Blood Mafia wouldn't get far.
There's more than one though. Only Demi knows how many there are.
It's information we need so we can prepare for the worst. Security hasn't been lax, but with Hunters back in the picture, we'll need to amp up our preventative measures.
Demi surprises us all, her mother especially, by going to give her a hug. She's quick to leave her embrace and goes to Nicole next.
"Bye."
Maria and Nicole blink, clearly uneasy about leaving her with us. What did she tell them? Had she mentioned the stabbing?
"Maria, is it?" Mateo asks.
The Hunter's eyes narrow.
Ah, like mother, like daughter.
"Yes."
"If you ever make Demi hurt again, I'll kill you myself."
Demi's eyes leave Maria and she gazes at Mateo, eyes widening in surprise and sparking with interest.
Oh, I think she likes that idea a little too much.
The Hunter's thick swallow is only audible to our ears. She isn't afraid, she's hurt. Her heart bleeds with self-inflicted wounds. "I understand," she says. "Take care of her."
With that, she turns and heads to the Jeep. Nicole lingers. She's not scowling at us, but she's not smiling. The Hunter stares at us each in turn. Holding our gazes long enough to make it uncomfortable and weird.
The message is loud and clear.
She will kill us if we hurt Demi.
