“Hello, husband. Where are you?”
As always, the sound of Sonia’s voice soothed the demons inside him.
“I’m about to search one of the last properties on the list.”
“Anything yet?” He heard the sound of papers turning and knew Sonia was deep into research.
“No, but I’m hopeful.” More than that, he had a feeling of dread, like something was about to happen. “I want Jerome to take you to New York. You should go stay with your parents until this situation is dealt with.” He’d miss her but he’d feel a hell of a lot better knowing she was safe.
He’d been invulnerable for centuries, but now he had something, someone important in his life and that made him vulnerable. He still hadn’t come to grips with that. If he had his way, Sonia would never leave his side.
He smiled at the thought of what she’d say if he told her that. She’d smile, pat him on the head and tell him everything was going to be all right. She was one of the few people on the planet who didn’t walk in fear of him.
“I’m not going to New York. I’m staying here with you.” He could tell she was ready to do battle.
“Then at least go home. The apartment is protected and there are weapons there.”
She sighed. “Very well. If it will make you happy.”
“It will.” And it was what he’d wanted in the first place. He’d known in his heart she’d never leave him to go stay with her parents. But he was learning how best to deal with his independent mate and figured if he started out totally unreasonable then she’d eventually agree to what he’d wanted in the first place.
“I’m on to you, you know,” she told him. He could tell by the sounds that she was packing up her belongings.
“Oh?” Despite his question, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she meant.
“As if you’d let me go to New York without you.” Even though she was trying to sound stern, he could hear the smile in her voice.
“What is that saying you use? Ah, yes. Busted.” She laughed as he intended. “I want you safe, Sonia. And make no mistake, I’ll do whatever it takes to make certain no harm comes to you. You are the only thing standing between me and my demons. If any harm were to come to you—” He broke off, unable to finish the statement. He knew if anything happened to her he was capable of razing the entire city in his grief.
“I’ll be fine. You just make sure you take care of yourself. Don’t underestimate this other vampire, Damek. Remember what you always tell me. No two vampires are the same and all have different skills. Just because he’s younger than you doesn’t mean he isn’t powerful.”
“I remember,” he promised. “Now call Jerome and head home.”
“I’m on my way. Love you.” She ended the call.
Damek tucked his phone inside his coat. “I love you too,” he whispered. He set off down the street, keeping to the shadows. He detected several other humans outside the house he was interested in.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Damek sped through the darkness, stopping right behind one of the men.
Chapter Fourteen
Evie felt like a modern-day Van Helsing with a wooden stake strapped to her back beneath her shirt and a knife concealed beneath her coat. Craig was carrying even more weapons than she was. He had several long, sharp knives in protective sheaths strapped to his thighs beneath the long, black leather duster Damek had given him and two smaller blades tucked into his boots.
She glanced at Craig and decided he looked like a badass even with his boy-
next-door good looks. There was an aura of menace about him that hadn’t been there when she’d first met him.
He’d changed. They both had.
He reached out and caught her hand in his. “What are you thinking?”
Craig was probably one of the few men in the universe who actually wanted to talk. It was a little disconcerting at times. “I still have moments when all this seems surreal, like a movie. I keep expecting a director is going to yell cut at any moment, or I’ll wake up and realize all this was nothing more than a dream.”
He kissed the back of her hand. He was always doing that. Little touches and kisses that left her feeling unsettled.
She simply wasn’t used to being touched so much by another person. But she was quickly growing used to it from Craig.
“It’s real. It will take all of us a while to adjust, but we will.” His assurance certainly helped ease the butterflies in her stomach. They didn’t disappear totally, but she no longer felt like she might toss her cookies.
Both their bodies were still adjusting to becoming vampires. She had no idea how long that would take and really didn’t feel like asking Damek. She knew Damek didn’t trust her and she did everything she could to remain under his radar as much as possible. Even now, when he was nowhere around, she could almost feel his eyes watching her.
A shiver trickled down her spine and the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Evie stopped and slowly turned around in a complete circle, searching the streets and shadows. Even though it was late, there were people around, some walking, some in cars and taxis.
“What is it?” Beside her, Craig tensed, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
“I don’t know.” She absently slid her hand beneath her coat to the long blade that rode against her hip. “Probably nothing.” She moved her hand away.
“I’m just nervous about going back to Haven.” That’s probably all it was.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. I’m with you.” They started walking and she could see Haven in the distance.
He might be confident of his welcome, but she sure as heck wasn’t.
Those people would always look at her and blame her for changing Craig’s life, for tampering with his destiny. And they’d be right. She had.
But there was no going back for either of them.
Vladimir had started all this and the ripples of his action were still being felt and would be for a long time. Evie wondered where he was and what he was doing. Was he changing another unsuspecting woman while she casually walked down the street with Craig?
“We should be out looking for Vladimir, not socializing.” She dug in her heels and stopped. “This is wrong.
He’s been killing innocent people, feeding on their blood while I’ve been hiding.”
“Evie.” Craig eased her into the shadow of a building. Immediately, she scanned the nearby area, sensing nothing but a cat and several people partying in an apartment on the back of the building next to them. “There was nothing we could do, nothing we can do until we find him. Walking around the city searching for him does nothing but expose both of us. We have to get strong and learn how to use our newfound strengths before we face him. Anything less is suicide. And I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to die yet.”
She raised her hand and touched his cheek. Craig was strong and powerful, but there was a layer of compassion and common sense beneath it. While she might do something rash, he would always have a plan, probably several. If she was going to defeat her enemy, she needed to think more like Craig.
He covered her hand with his, his blue eyes brighter than a summer sky.
“I know you’re right,” she began.
“But that doesn’t make the waiting any easier,” he finished.
Evie gave a small laugh. “Yeah.”
“Once things are settled with the Haven pack, we’ll move into the apartment below Damek’s and start strategizing. We’ll train and work and get stronger. Then we’ll go hunting,” Craig promised. “Damek will find Vladimir and then we’ll have the advantage.”
“I hope you’re right.” Evie couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Craig was being too confident. It all seemed too easy. Vladimir was cunning and ruthless.