Craig stepped out and helped Evie exit. She was swaying on her feet and Craig could sense the fatigue pulling at her. The longer they were together, the more in tune he was becoming to her feelings and moods. It was strange to understand so much about a person without really knowing them or even having to look at them. He was just very aware of her at all times.
He wondered if she was feeling the same with him or if it was all one-
sided?
“This way.” Damek motioned them inside the elevator. They stepped inside and the doors silently shut behind them.
Evie swallowed hard and fought down the panic welling up inside her.
Who was Damek, besides being a vampire, and where was he really taking them? Craig might be safe with his friend, but she was under no such illusions. Damek didn’t like her, didn’t like what she’d done to Craig, and she couldn’t blame him. She didn’t like what she’d done to him either.
Craig stood by her side, his sandy-
brown hair disheveled and his blue eyes half closed. His heart was barely beating, yet he was alive. Just like her.
She couldn’t sense Damek’s heartbeat at all.
She didn’t want to notice how nice it felt when Craig slipped his fingers around hers and held her hand. Nor did she want to notice how his heat warmed her.
He was uncertain about his future, but not truly afraid. That amazed her.
She’d been utterly terrified when she’d discovered what she’d become. Of course, he’d already known vampires existed, so maybe that made it easier for him to accept that he was now one himself.
Evie didn’t know what to think. Her life had become a roller coaster of nightmares and endless nights. She missed the sunlight.
Damek turned dark, soulless eyes on her and she shrank back before she could stop herself. But any sane person would run from the threat in the vampire’s gaze.
“My mate is home. If you make any motion to harm her, I will kill you.”
Craig scowled. “Is that really necessary? Neither of us is going to hurt Sonia.” He offered her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’ll like Sonia, she’s great.”
Evie didn’t know what to expect when they exited the elevator and stepped into a small foyer that contained one door. Damek placed his palm over a fancy metal plate and the door opened.
He stepped inside and held it for them.
The elevator door closed behind them and a quick glance confirmed her suspicion. Another palm plate. This place had more security than her bank.
There were no windows in the foyer. No other way out. The only direction to go was forward.
Craig’s hand was warm against her spine, urging her inward.
Evie took a deep, steadying breath and marched into the room. The door banged shut behind them and she heard several locks engage.
“You’re home.” The woman’s voice was deep and full. Evie blinked at the slender woman with curly black hair and gray eyes who hurried toward them, her arms wide open. But it wasn’t Damek she hugged, it was Craig.
Evie felt her hackles rise and she had to fight the urge to pull Craig away from the other woman. She felt… jealous. Which was ridiculous. She had no real relationship with Craig, no hold on him.
“I’m so glad you’re okay. Damek’s been worried sick.”
“Sonia.” The warning in Damek’s voice was clear, but Sonia ignored it.
“I’m so happy you’re safe.” Sonia paused and slowly stepped back from Craig. Her smile disappeared and worry entered her gaze. “You’re not okay, are you?” Sonia glanced Evie’s way. “Oh no.”
“It seems our friend has had a slight mishap.” Damek pulled his mate to his side. The action reminded Evie of a lion protecting its next meal. There was no doubt Sonia belonged to this powerful creature.
“A slight mishap,” Sonia repeated.
“A slight mishap is when you trip going down the stairs or maybe drop your cell phone in the sink. Being turned into a vampire is a bit more than that.”
“Can we maybe sit down and talk about this.” Craig swayed on his feet.
Damek was by his side in a blink.
“Come this way, my friend. You need to feed and you need to rest.” Damek lifted Craig into his arms as if he were no more than a child and not a grown man at all. He carried him down a hallway even as Craig protested he could walk. Evie followed, not wanting to let Craig out of her sight.
She was very aware of Sonia following behind them.
The room they entered was more luxurious than anything she’d ever seen.
It was as big as her entire studio apartment, but there was no window.
Damek set Craig down on a king-sized bed and removed his boots and socks and then his jacket.
“I’m not an infant you know?” But Craig said it with a smile.
“You are compared to me, my friend,” Damek shot back.
Craig chuckled. “I guess so, but I’m not calling you dad,” he joked. “I’m so damn tired.”
“That will pass,” Damek promised.
He turned to his mate. “They need blood.”
“I’m on it.” Sonia quickly left the room.
Evie swallowed hard. Did they have people chained up somewhere that they fed on?
Damek whirled on her, his eyes hard. “No, we don’t keep people chained up to feed on. What nonsense.”
Shit. She’d forgotten he could read her thoughts. Hadn’t imagined anyone could until she’d met this man.
“Blood banks.” Craig’s words were slurred. He held his hand out to her and she hurried to his side, making a wide circle around Damek. “You okay?” he asked.
Her heart swelled and her eyes welled with tears. His concern for her touched her deeply. “Yeah, I’m fine.
You worry about yourself. I can take care of myself.”
Craig frowned, but before he could speak, Sonia hurried back into the room.
The scent of fresh blood made Evie’s fangs explode and she knew her eyes had turned red. She licked her lips and rose from the bed.
Damek was in front of her in a heartbeat, holding the glass toward her.
“Remember what I said. Make one wrong move toward my wife and your life is over.”
The threat pushed back the bloodlust like nothing else could. It was still there, lurking, hungry but controllable. Evie licked her lips but waited. Damek handed her the glass and she drank, chugging the entire amount.
The blood, thick and sweet, rolled over her tongue and down her throat.
Every cell in her body expanded, reaching for the life-giving liquid. She moaned at how wonderful it tasted.
She licked her lips again, not wanting to lose a single drop. “More.”
Damek shook his head and every muscle in her body tensed, ready to attack. It was only through sheer willpower that she kept from flinging herself at him. It appalled her that she even thought to fight him.
“Very good.” Damek gave her a nod of approval. “Too much blood too quickly will only incite greater bloodlust. You need to learn to make your feedings small but regular until you are stronger.”
Evie nodded. This was the kind of thing she needed to learn if she was going to have a chance to survive and find justice for herself and for Craig. If she hadn’t been attacked, she never would have accidentally converted Craig into a vampire.
“You are only two weeks made. You have exceptional control for one so young who has no mentor guiding her.”
Well, that was something. Not that she felt as though she was in control. She distinctly felt out of control.
“You need to rest. Come.”
Damek started out of the room, but Evie sat on the bed next to Craig and shook her head. “I’m not leaving him.”
She kicked off her shoes, removed her thin black coat and tossed it on the chair by the bed.