Craig offered her a reassuring smile that did nothing to quell her anxiety. “I’d say he knows more about vampires than anyone else in the world.”
“And you just happen to know him?”
It made her suspicious and she took a few steps away.
“Yeah. We’re actually friends.”
Craig held out his hand to her. “Don’t be afraid. Not all vampires are monsters.”
Could she dare to even believe him?
How could she not? Craig needed help she couldn’t give him. And if there was a chance this Damek could give her the knowledge she needed to avenge her death, she really had no choice but to take it.
“Call him.”
Craig slipped his hand into his back pocket, pulled out his phone and hit the second number on his contact list. It was answered on the first ring.
“Where have you been?” The imperious voice, so deep and commanding made him smile.
“I’ve got a bit of a problem.”
“What do you need?” Damek demanded. “Where are you?”
Craig knew Evie was listening to every word of the conversation and could easily hear both sides, so he kept the exchange as neutral as possible. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her away. He wasn’t up to chasing her.
“I need to meet you somewhere private.
Somewhere safe.”
“I will come to you.”
Craig eased the phone away and stared at her. “Where are we?”
“Who are you with,” Damek demanded.
Evie hesitated and Craig patiently waited, knowing she had to do this at her own pace. “Give me a second,” he told his friend. “Evie?”
He could almost hear her mulling over her options and knew the second she decided to trust him. A huge weight fell from his shoulders when she gave him the address.
“I heard it,” Damek told him. “I’ll be there as fast as I can.”
The line went dead and Craig turned off his phone. “You did the right thing,” he told her.
“Did I?” He could tell Evie was unsure.
“Damek will help us,” Craig promised. He knew a lot of folks who would laugh at his assessment, knew they feared Damek, what he was and the power he wielded. But Craig knew better than most that, at his core, Damek was fiercely loyal to his mate, her family and his small circle of friends. While it was a very good thing to be Damek’s friend, it was a very bad thing to be his enemy. Thankfully, Craig fell into the friend category.
“He’ll be here soon.” Fatigue swept over him and he sat down heavily.
“Damn, I’m tired.”
“You’re doing too much, too soon.”
Evie hurried to his side, practically picked him up and dragged him back to the blanket. She covered him with his leather jacket. “Rest. I’ll watch for your friend.”
Craig closed his eyes, promising himself he’d rest for a minute. That was the last thing he remembered until an unearthly roar jolted him from his slumber.
Chapter Three
“What have you done?” Craig heard the anger in Damek’s low, precise words and opened his eyes to find his friend had Evie pinned to the wall by her neck. Pure menace pulsed through the air, making it heavy with anticipation of violence to come. Evie was fighting, hissing and scratching at Damek with clawed fingers, but she was no match for the ancient vampire.
“Stop.” Craig jumped to his feet. The jackhammers in his skull started up again, but he ignored the pain and he stumbled toward them. He wrapped his arms around Damek’s waist and tried to pull him off. It was like trying to move a mountain. Impossible. “Damek. Don’t hurt her. Let her go. It’s not what you think.”
“And how would you know what I’m thinking?”
The walls of the room warped with power. Fury radiated from Damek, causing the very foundation of the building to shake. Crap, Damek was really pissed. And that was never good for anyone.
As always, Damek was wearing a custom Armani suit, silk shirt and Italian leather shoes. The guy always looked as though he belonged in international banking instead of the nightclub he ran.
But he was the most dangerous creature Craig had ever met.
“Please.” Craig prayed his friend would release Evie before he hurt her.
“For me.”
Damek slowly loosened his grip on Evie but didn’t quite release her. She glared at Craig, a look of utter betrayal in her eyes.
“I promised her you’d help us.”
“I will help you, but I’m not so sure about her.” Damek turned to him, anguish in his face. “You are a vampire.”
It wasn’t a question. Craig knew Damek would be able to see, to smell, to hear the difference. “It was an accident.”
Damek sighed and looked back at Evie. “I will release you, but do not run.
You will not like what happens if I have to catch you.”
“He’s a vampire.” Evie shot her accusation at Craig. “After I told you about the monster who attacked me, you told me to trust you and I did. And you call in another one of them.”
Craig walked toward her, trying not to let it hurt him when she flinched away from him. “I told you not all vampires are monsters, Evie. I’m not. You’re not.”
She rubbed her face and tears filled her eyes. He watched her blink them back and knew it was because she didn’t want to appear weak. Didn’t she realize how strong she was to have survived the vampire who’d attacked her and escape him? To survive on her own without being caught out in the light or hunted by paranormal bounty hunters. Obviously not. Craig didn’t even know if she was aware such hunters existed.
They both had a lot to learn.
Evie couldn’t believe what was happening. What was it about her that attracted monsters? The vampire in front of her reeked of power. In spite of her newfound strength, she’d felt like a weakling when he had her pinned to the wall choking the life out of her. She’d half-expected him to yank her head from her shoulders and had no doubt he had the strength to do it.
The ironic thing was when he’d first stepped into the room she’d thought her maker had found her. Her first thought had been to protect Craig and she’d attacked the creature without hesitation.
And he’d swatted her away as though she were no more than a pesky fly.
No, this Damek wasn’t her maker.
There was no way anyone would escape him unless he allowed it. Evie swallowed hard and backed deeper into a corner. Not that it would do her any good. There was nowhere to go, nowhere she could run or hide from this particular vampire.
“What are you going to do?” She had to know. She was tired of her life being dictated by others.
“That depends.” Damek’s crisp tones held a slight accent, but it wasn’t one she could place. It definitely sounded foreign. He turned his back on her and faced Craig. She didn’t for one second think he didn’t know exactly what she was doing. “Usually only older vampires can make new ones. It is very rare, almost unheard of for one so young to make another. Talk to me.”
Craig sighed and ran his finger through his hair. His fingers went to his face and he frowned when he almost poked himself in the eye. “My glasses.”
“They’re in the pocket of your leather jacket. I put them there for safekeeping.” Evie motioned to the jacket.
Craig blinked and a slow smile crossed his lips, making him appear even more handsome. “Wow, I can see everything perfectly.”
Damek shook his head and sighed.
“Of course you can. You’re a vampire now. The change healed any infirmities your body had.” His tone was gruff, but Evie could hear the affection there.
Was it possible Damek would help them? That Craig wasn’t under his thrall, one of his minions. Evie wasn’t exactly sure how this whole thing worked other than what she’d seen in the movies or read in books.