Free Priceless by Shannon Mayer Page B

if I’d poked it. The daywalker had tackled me from behind, almost wrapping his teeth around my lower spine. If Milly hadn’t been with me on that search, I’d have been killed. What Doran had just said caught up with me.
    “Speaking of those missing women, where are they?” I forced the fear back down my throat.
    Doran tipped his head to one side. “You don’t hunt for adults, Rylee, so why would you care what happened to them?”
    “It’s important to a friend. He wants to know.” I fingered the handle of my blade. “And since you took their places, you should know what happened.”
    “I do, but if you want that information, you’re going to have to give me more than blood. I want you bound to me.”
    Nope, no one was worth that, not even the shamans I’d come to count as allies. In fact, I wasn’t so sure I’d bind myself to him even for a kid. I shook my head.
    “Whatever, I’m not looking for the shamans.” I cracked my knuckles, nerves starting to show through my tough girl exterior. “I guess you can’t help me then, especially not if it’s one of your own that took the girl.” I started to back away from him. No fucking way I was turning my back on him now.
    “Oh, I can help you, Rylee. Besides, it wasn’t one of mine who stole the girl, I can tell you that much.” He paused and took a long slow breath as if tasting the air. “You see, I just want a taste of the good stuff. The blood all the daywalkers and vamps sing about when we get together for our yearly convention.” His eyes, they were full of laughter. He was having fun with this, teasing me.
    “Only one blood sucker has ever bitten me, and he’s no more,” I said, sure of myself.
    Of course, he blew that out of the water with what he said next.
    “Rylee, Rylee. You don’t understand.” Laughing, he stood and started toward me. For each step he took, I stepped back. “All of us blood suckers, as you call us, are connected by the same blood. So when he bit you” —he reached out for me and I batted his hand away— “we all knew just how delicious you were. It’s what got him killed. He was so caught up in
your
blood singing through his veins, he didn’t recognize the danger of having a witch behind him.”
    The door bumped against my back. I twisted the handle, but it was slippery under my sweaty fingers, making it impossible to turn.
    Doran lunged forward, pinning my body to the door with his own. “I won’t hurt you, Rylee, I promise, you will like the bite I give you.”
    Nope, not doing this again.
    Kicking out, I caught him just below the knee. The bone crunched under my foot; he screamed and I caught a glimpse of fangs. Spinning out of his reach, I put the fire between us. The worst part of this was that I couldn’t just leave. I needed him to give me an entry point into the other side of the veil. I pulled my blade, holding it at the ready, eyes narrowed, ready to do what damage I had to without killing him.
    Doran limped toward me, a grimace on his face. “I don’t have time for this. I forgot how damn touchy your type are.”
    My ears perked up. “You aren’t going to try that again?”
    With a grunt he slid into a heavily cushioned chair. “Joints are the hardest thing to heal. They are never a clean break and take a lot of energy to put the pieces back together.”
    “Why would you tell me that?”
    “I get the feeling you might need the info when you go after this girl,” he said, his hand rubbing his knee.
    Hmm. Interesting. And what had he meant by my type? Like blood type? Or that I was a Tracker and an Immune?
    “Let’s keep this simple, Rylee. I want your blood. I’d love to sink my fangs in you . . . amongst other things.” His gaze held mine and a burst of heat whipped through me. Damn, he was good if he could rile me up even after freaking the hell out of me.
    “Don’t even think it,” I said, tearing my eyes from his.
    “I will settle for you donating into a cup for me.” He pointed