Free Not Another Vampire Book by Cassandra Gannon Page B
Authors: Cassandra Gannon
hadn’t
expected Kara to come with him so willing. Stranger still, now that he had
her, a huge part of him wanted to get rid of her, as quickly as possible. Give
her back to Slade. Dump her off a bridge. Buy her a train ticket. Anything
to put some distance between them.
She
would be his doom.
The
legends of his people said that a Wizard Warlock could recognize the one who
would destroy him. He believed that. Believed in destiny and believed that some
force out there was directing the universe. Damien looked at this small, weak
human and he saw his own end.
He
wanted her, anyway.
Even
knowing that she was most likely leading him into a trap, he still wanted her.
His
gaze traveled back to her, against his will. He had never seen anyone wear
clothes like Karalynn’s. They were... small. Beneath the thin, pink fabric of
her blouse he could see the steady rise of her breasts. The sight transfixed
him. She looked so soft. It worried Damien how much he wanted to touch her. What
he would give for it. He wasn’t a man controlled by his sexual desires. The
fact that Karalynn made him react this way was… wrong. Wrong in ways that
threatened to open up an entirely new set of problems if he examined them too
closely.
Wrong
in ways that he’d just as soon ignore.
Only
he couldn’t ignore Karalynn.
He’d
tried.
He’d
wanted to lock her up, out of sight and mind. Tossing her in the dungeon would
have been the most logical way keep her under his control and use her as bait
for Slade. Unfortunately, the insane woman didn’t seem to realize that she
was his captive. She was under his complete control and she still thought she
could leave anytime she liked. Damien had been in the somewhat awkward position
of having to explain the truth to her and he would have. Was about to.
Except
Kara had turned those huge brown eyes on him, the first stirrings of betrayal
and fear in her expression… and he couldn’t do it. If Damien threw her in the
dungeon, Kara would see him as the enemy, just as the rest of the world did.
He
found that he didn’t want that.
He
actually… cared that she might hate him. In one split second, Damien chose to
keep the woman’s odd faith in him and risk a Vampire ambush. What kind of
powers did Karalynn have to make him do something so idiotic?
He’d
come up with this ridiculous plan to drive her to the so-called “Donnelly
Building,” simply to appease her. There was no other gain in it. Damien
hadn’t been thinking of the trap that she might be leading him into. He’d only
focused on ensuring that Kara didn’t guess that she was a pawn in this war. That
he was her enemy. Damien needed to hide what he really was, because he didn’t
want this ease between them to end.
With
this small human around, Damien felt less alone on a fundamental level.
“I’m
telling you, the building should be…” Kara drew in a quick breath. “Stop!
Stop the car. Carriage. Whatever. Just stop the horse!” She was opening the
door and bounding out on to the sidewalk before Damien could give the command.
Damien
swore and hit the top of the coach with his walking stick, signaling the driver
to stop. He looked out the open carriage door, his senses scanning. This
could so easily be a plot laid by the Vampires. A way to lure him out and
capture him for their horrific tortures. Damien never underestimated the guile
of those bastards. It was entirely possible that Karalynn was working with
them, bringing him here as part of a plan.
He’d
know soon enough.
Damien
stepped down from the carriage, his body braced for battle. It actually
surprised him when several seconds ticked by without an attack. He looked
around in confusion and saw nothing in every direction. The entire street was
deserted at this time of night; just empty warehouses and moonlight. Why on
earth had the human brought them here?
His
eyes easily found
expected Kara to come with him so willing. Stranger still, now that he had
her, a huge part of him wanted to get rid of her, as quickly as possible. Give
her back to Slade. Dump her off a bridge. Buy her a train ticket. Anything
to put some distance between them.
She
would be his doom.
The
legends of his people said that a Wizard Warlock could recognize the one who
would destroy him. He believed that. Believed in destiny and believed that some
force out there was directing the universe. Damien looked at this small, weak
human and he saw his own end.
He
wanted her, anyway.
Even
knowing that she was most likely leading him into a trap, he still wanted her.
His
gaze traveled back to her, against his will. He had never seen anyone wear
clothes like Karalynn’s. They were... small. Beneath the thin, pink fabric of
her blouse he could see the steady rise of her breasts. The sight transfixed
him. She looked so soft. It worried Damien how much he wanted to touch her. What
he would give for it. He wasn’t a man controlled by his sexual desires. The
fact that Karalynn made him react this way was… wrong. Wrong in ways that
threatened to open up an entirely new set of problems if he examined them too
closely.
Wrong
in ways that he’d just as soon ignore.
Only
he couldn’t ignore Karalynn.
He’d
tried.
He’d
wanted to lock her up, out of sight and mind. Tossing her in the dungeon would
have been the most logical way keep her under his control and use her as bait
for Slade. Unfortunately, the insane woman didn’t seem to realize that she
was his captive. She was under his complete control and she still thought she
could leave anytime she liked. Damien had been in the somewhat awkward position
of having to explain the truth to her and he would have. Was about to.
Except
Kara had turned those huge brown eyes on him, the first stirrings of betrayal
and fear in her expression… and he couldn’t do it. If Damien threw her in the
dungeon, Kara would see him as the enemy, just as the rest of the world did.
He
found that he didn’t want that.
He
actually… cared that she might hate him. In one split second, Damien chose to
keep the woman’s odd faith in him and risk a Vampire ambush. What kind of
powers did Karalynn have to make him do something so idiotic?
He’d
come up with this ridiculous plan to drive her to the so-called “Donnelly
Building,” simply to appease her. There was no other gain in it. Damien
hadn’t been thinking of the trap that she might be leading him into. He’d only
focused on ensuring that Kara didn’t guess that she was a pawn in this war. That
he was her enemy. Damien needed to hide what he really was, because he didn’t
want this ease between them to end.
With
this small human around, Damien felt less alone on a fundamental level.
“I’m
telling you, the building should be…” Kara drew in a quick breath. “Stop!
Stop the car. Carriage. Whatever. Just stop the horse!” She was opening the
door and bounding out on to the sidewalk before Damien could give the command.
Damien
swore and hit the top of the coach with his walking stick, signaling the driver
to stop. He looked out the open carriage door, his senses scanning. This
could so easily be a plot laid by the Vampires. A way to lure him out and
capture him for their horrific tortures. Damien never underestimated the guile
of those bastards. It was entirely possible that Karalynn was working with
them, bringing him here as part of a plan.
He’d
know soon enough.
Damien
stepped down from the carriage, his body braced for battle. It actually
surprised him when several seconds ticked by without an attack. He looked
around in confusion and saw nothing in every direction. The entire street was
deserted at this time of night; just empty warehouses and moonlight. Why on
earth had the human brought them here?
His
eyes easily found