“The hell you will.” Guttural, but without the dark fury of before.
“Dammit, don’t you see what being with me is doing to you?” He had to see it. “Those bastards were after me, Simon, they wanted—”
“Fuck what they wanted.” He spared her a burning glance. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
What?
He shifted in his seat, flinching a bit. “And those weren’t vampires, babe. Since when do vamps hunt in the daylight? And use guns on prey?”
Hardly ever. Vamps didn’t explode in the sunlight. That was just some BS myth Hollywood had invented. Good old Bram had been right when he’d said that vampires could walk in the daylight. They were just weaker in the hours of light—human weak. Dee had always figured Bram must’ve had the inside track on the vamps.
As for using guns…why shoot your prey? For vampires, that was just a waste of good blood. Dee swallowed. “Why would vamps send humans after me?”
“After us.”
Her eyes narrowed. Sweat beaded Simon’s upper brow.
“They know I’m helping you,” he muttered. “Now they’re trying to shut us both down. Not. Gonna. Happen.”
The car jerked a bit. “Simon?”
He shook his head. “All…right.” His fingers tightened around the steering wheel, but his eyes began to drift shut.
“No, you’re not.” Her heart slammed into her ribs. “You’re hit, aren’t you?” Don’t touch me now. Gruff and angry. Had to be man slang for I’m hurting. “Stop the car, let me see what—”
“No! Won’t…let them…take you…”
Uh, being all macho and protective was kind of sexy, especially since she was usually the ass-kicking one, but…
The car swerved off the road and headed straight for the line of twisted pines.
“Simon!” Dee lunged for the wheel.
Chapter 6
Simon stared at the grim-faced reflection in the broken gas station mirror.
He’d fucked up. Gotten distracted by a sexy smile and curvy body.
He hadn’t been on guard, hadn’t known the attackers were going to hit until it was too late.
Running—his only option. He hated to run.
When the gun had fired, he’d taken the hit. Taken it hard, right in the back. A human would have died.
Good thing he wasn’t a human.
Dee had saved his ass when she taken the wheel. A head-on crash with trees. Never good.
But if he didn’t do something, fast, Dee would be stalking her pretty little ass into the dingy restroom and demanding answers.
She knew he was hurt, but she hadn’t figured out how badly. Not yet.
If he had his way, not ever.
Simon jerked off his shirt, gritting his teeth as the pain knifed into his back. He spun around, craning his neck to see the wound in the mirror.
Dee waited just outside the door. She’d tucked the gun into the back waistband of her jeans and the woman was standing guard.
But he doubted he had more than a few minutes time until she burst in to see what the hell had happened to him.
The wound was open. Deep as hell. The bullet had lodged inside. No way could he get it out now. Eventually, he’d find someone to dig it out. He just had to stop the blood loss now.
Because if he didn’t stop bleeding, his ass would be in serious trouble.
Human attackers. That bastard Grim was playing smart. He hadn’t sent his vamps because they would have been weak in the growing sun. But humans, probably puppets desperate for that immortal kiss, had done his dirty work.
And really screwed Simon over.
The door squeaked open. The scent hit him instantly. Cigarettes. Coffee.
“Hey, hey, buddy!” The door swung closed behind the guy. Balding, but young. Fit. “What the hell happened to you?”
Simon cocked his head. Shouldn’t…
But there was no choice.
“Do you—do you need some help?” Ah, a good Samaritan. Wouldn’t those guys ever learn?
The Samaritan crept closer. “There’s a woman outside. I can get her to call for help—”
“No…”
The Samaritan moved a few more precious inches closer.
Perfect.
Simon’s hand whipped up and caught the guy right around the neck, closing off his airway. “I can’t let you call for her at all.”
The fear came then. In the widening of the man’s eyes, in the fast drumming of his heart.
“Don’t worry,” Simon said, “I’m not going to kill you.”
“Simon?” Dee’s worried voice as she rapped on the door. “Everything okay?” The rusty door began to inch open.
“Fine!” He yelled back. “Be right there.”
The door froze.
He stared into his prey’s eyes. “I won’t kill you,” he repeated again because the guy had really only wanted to help.
And that was exactly what he’d do.
Three minutes later, Simon left the Samaritan sleeping in a bathroom stall. The cleaner stall. The one that didn’t have feces floating in the toilet.
Dee still waited outside for him.
“We need to hit the road,” he told her, trying to brush past her.
“No, you’re hurt. Let me help you—”
He shook his head. “Flesh wound, just like yours.” The scent of her blood hung in the air between them. Not as much of a temptation though, not now.
She braced her legs and cocked her chin. “Let me see it.”
This part, he’d expected. Dee Daniels was one stubborn woman. He lifted his shirt. Twisted a bit, and showed her the long gash on his lower left side.
Not really a mark made by a bullet. One he’d carved himself, using his claws.
He and Dee were sure going to have to talk soon. No way would he be able to keep hiding his true self from her.
Just wanted her to trust me first.
Trust. Such a hard thing to earn and so easy to lose. One word. One wrong move and she’d turn away from him.
“They’ve got some bandages inside,” she said. “Let me get some, clean you up better.”
A grim nod. If that was what she wanted. “Only if we do the same to you.” They’d have to hurry. Simon didn’t want to risk any more unexpected company. Not until his strength had fully returned.
Dee turned away from him, but he reached out and snagged her arm.
A frown pulled her brows low when she glanced back at him. “Simon?”
“Trust me, Dee.”
She blinked. “I don’t—”
“I know, you don’t.” That was the problem. “I just want you to try. I’m not one of the bad guys.” Well, depending on your definition of bad. “You and I—we want the same thing.”
For the vampires who were hunting her to pay.
“I know you’re after the Born,” he told her, deciding to cut through the shit.
Dee’s gaze darted around the deserted lot. “Not here. We can’t talk about this now—”
His back teeth clenched. “Then let’s hurry and get to safety, because we damn well have to talk.”
And maybe, just maybe, confess.
Can’t. Lose. Her.
Safety was her grandfather’s cabin. A place he’d built by hand long, long ago.
Her parents had sold the place when she’d been a kid, but she’d gotten lucky and been able to buy it back two years ago. The only tie to my family.
Winding dirt roads took them back to the two-bedroom shelter. The old wood gleamed in the bright sunlight.
“Not much,” she murmured. “But I installed a generator up here a few months ago. So, we’ll have power, a roof over us, and time to figure out our next move.”
He eyed the cabin. “Can the vamps trace this place back to you?”
Dee slammed her door and ignored the throb in her shoulder. “No, Night Watch made sure this place was buried for me.” Because she’d wanted a retreat, no, a haven.