Free Blood Deep by Sharon Page Page A

can’t.” She pointed to her own throat. “If you need to feed, take the blood from me. I don’t care. But I won’t let you hurt anyone else.”
    “You have no choice, love. And I can’t feed from you. But if you wish, you may choose the person I’ll feed from.” Lukos waved his arm to encompass the crowd of innocent people.
    She stared. A mother embraced a child. A woman urged four young boys toward a stage that was preparing to leave. A couple gazed lovingly at each other in a tender good-bye. An elderly man patted the hand of his elderly wife. She couldn’t select any

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    one. Each person was loved and cherished by someone. They all deserved to live.
    “You’re evil!” she spat.
    “Yes, angel, I am. I served Lucifer. I was born to be evil.”
    “If you must feed, why not bite Zayan! Or bite a pig!”
    Lukos merely inclined his head. “I need a mortal’s fresh, rich blood, angel.”
    Was there anyone there who deserved a vampire’s bite? A man who abused his wife? A vicious man who preyed on children? A woman who snared innocents for brothels? A murderer? A thief?
    She could not do this.
    But she couldn’t let him just select anyone. “Who would you choose?” she asked softly.
    “When you eat, sweetheart, do you select the dish that tempts you most? Would you choose mutton over lamb? Or tough beef over a succulent roast?”
    She shuddered. “You’d chose someone young and pretty, you mean.”
    “Sometimes I choose children.”
    Miranda clapped her hand to her mouth. “That’s unspeakably evil!”
    Should she scream? Perhaps the vampires’ magic couldn’t hurt all these people—but what if her horror led to one death?
    “I would choose children who had little hope, angel, and then I would change them. I would give them unimaginable strength and speed. I would give them the chance to turn the world upon its ear.”
    She shuddered. “Can you not feed without hurting someone?”
    Lukos winked. “For you, pet, I’ll try.”
    She didn’t believe him. But Zayan had hold of her arm and Lukos strode away. He was so tall, so striking with his long 64 / Sharon Page
    hair and cloak that he did not vanish in the milling crowd—he stood out. Men watched him warily; women stared with obvious desire. He prowled toward the shadows.
    She could not swallow over the lump in her throat.
    Zayan’s arm slid around her waist. There were men walking with women this way. Those women wore low-cut gowns, had rouged lips, and were obviously doxies. People would think that of her.
    She choked on a laugh. They would think her a whore. They would have no idea she was going to be a vampire’s victim.
    “Aren’t you going to feed?” she whispered.
    Zayan cocked his head. “I do not need to yet, my dear.”
    Blast, she’d hoped he would want to leave her to feed. Of course, he wouldn’t let her go. She was likely to be his meal.
    “But I expect you are hungry,” he said. “Let us get you some dinner.”
    “What do you plan to do to me? If you intend to kill me, why feed me?”
    A stage arrived, rushing into the yard before Zayan answered. He watched it in a pensive silence. The grooms jumped down, the doors opened. Boxes were thrown down as the people began to spill out. Other grooms hurried forward to unhitch the horses.
    And others rushed forward to greet friends and to make ready to take their journey.
    Was he watching to choose his victim? She had to act. She turned and pointed across the yard. “Look! Our carriage is leaving! It must be Lukos!”
    As Zayan spun around, she pulled away from him as hard as she could. His surprise—and anger—had loosened his grip.
    Her pelisse tore, but she was free!
    She yanked up her hems and plunged into the crowd.
    “ ’Ere miss, have a care!”

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    Someone elbowed her in the back. She tripped, almost fell, but grabbed a man’s coat to stop herself. She stumbled forward.
    She heard a roar behind her. That must be Zayan and she cringed,