Free Crimson Vengeance by Sheri Lewis Wohl

stated.
    She narrowed her eyes as the flush of temper rose in her cheeks.
    “You’re so full of shit.”
    He had the good grace to look shocked. “Excuse me?”
    She stared at him, hating the way her lips trembled. “I now have three bodies…three fucking bodies, in my morgue, all victims of a vampire, and you have the nerve to sit there and tell me I don’t know what they can do?”
    “I didn’t mean—”
    “Oh, stuff it, mister vampire hunter. I’m not the one who doesn’t know. You’re the one so narrow-minded you can’t see the truth.” The cell phone in her pocket began to ring and she ignored it. Whoever it was could just call back. She wasn’t ready to let go of her rage just yet.
    “And that is?” His voice was quiet and calm.
    She didn’t try for either. She gave her fury full rein. “That you elected yourself judge, jury, and executioner. I don’t doubt you have the best of intentions for saving the world from the big, bad vampires, but maybe before you run off half-cocked, you should have all your facts.”
    “I have all the facts I need.”
    “Bull.”
    “Look, I didn’t come here to pick a fight with you.”
    Ivy leaned back against the booth and crossed her arms over her chest. “Then enlighten me, what did you come here for?”
    “I came to help.”
    Of course he did. “You can’t help if you don’t have an open mind. You need to know
all
the facts before you pull out your holy water and wooden stake.”
    She thought he’d continue to argue and was surprised when, instead, he began to laugh. At the sound, her shoulders tensed even more. The guy was certifiable. It had to be a full moon, because every head case within a hundred miles was showing up on her doorstep. She obviously has some real bad juju going.
    “I like you, Ivy Hernandez,” he said when his laughter subsided.
    His green eyes were soft and seemed sincere.
    Despite the desire to embrace her anger like a shield, his words made her shoulders relax just a touch. Maybe she was a sucker for a pretty face. “Yeah, well the jury’s still out on you, Colin Jamison.”
    He took both her hands this time. His touch was gentle, warm as his thumbs stroked her skin. “Tell me what I need to know about your friend, and I promise to keep an open mind.”
    She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. “An open mind?
    You swear?”
    “On a stack of Bibles. Now, tell me what I should know.”
    So she did.
----
    It was like a rewind from the night before. Riah stood in the loading area under the artificial light and waited as Ivy backed up the coroner’s van to the double doors. At least it was a repeat until the passenger’s door flew open at the same time Ivy jumped out of the driver’s side. A pair of long jean-covered legs came out first, followed by the rest of a tall, lean, and handsome man. The same man who’d barged in last night. Now, he stood at the back of the van and returned Riah’s stare. With a chance to really study him, Riah finally recognized him for what he was.
    Riah jumped back as if a blowtorch had burned her, the reflex sudden and instinctive. She couldn’t have stopped if she tried. “Ivy,”
    she sputtered. “What are you thinking? Would you care to explain?”
    “Soon,” Ivy told her as she popped open the back of the van and began to slide the gurney out. “Let’s get Jorge inside first. The clock’s ticking, chica.”
    Riah didn’t like it. On the other hand, Ivy did have a point.
    She shot the man a last hard look, then hurried to the doors to hold them open. “You know the way,” she snapped. She didn’t direct her comment solely to Ivy.

    At the same time, she glanced toward the guard office. Who was on tonight? Hopefully it wasn’t Brett. Things wouldn’t go easy or simple if he saw who accompanied Ivy in the van. Brett really could be difficult, which was only one reason he wasn’t among her favorite guards.
    She didn’t have to wait long for her question to be answered. A few