Free Blood Mate by Kitty Thomas Page B

woman sputtered, barely believing what was happening in front of
her.
    Once they were
inside, he released Nicolette and turned to face her accusing eyes.
“I needed an invitation. I won’t harm them. Just trust me for one
minute.”
    Despite her time
in the cellar, despite watching him kill, it took this close brush
with her parents and her real world and life to fully grasp his
predatory nature.
    “What’s your
mother’s name?”
    “L-Lois.”
    “Lois, look at
me.”
    “What’s going
on here? What have you done to my daughter? We’ve been worried
sick.”
    Nicolette’s
father stepped into the entryway. “Nicole, baby, is that you?”
The man rounded on August, his eyes blazing fury. “And who in the
hell are you? What have you done to my daughter? You sick bastard.”
    The man moved
quickly to grab something from behind the coat rack, and in the next
moment August was staring down the barrel of a shot gun. He caught
the father’s gaze. “Put the gun on the ground.”
    His eyes widened
as he found himself complying.
    When the gun was
on the floor, August said, “Now kick it over here.”
    A moment later,
the vampire heard a crunch and then everything went black.
     
    ***
     
    Clink. Clink.
     Clink.
    August woke in the
spreading pool of his own blood. It was the sound of the bullets
squeezing out and clinking on the hardwood floor that woke him as his
body raced to mend itself.
    Three bullets.
Nicolette’s family had to be NRA members. While his attention had
been on the father, Lois had gone for a second gun and shot him. Two
in the back, one in the head.
    He took measured
breaths, rising slowly so he didn’t get dizzy. He’d lost a lot of
blood before his body had forced the bullets out and sealed the
wounds.
    “August, please.
Don’t hurt them. They were only trying to… ”
    The smell of
Nicolette’s fear was pungent on the air. His head snapped around to
find her in front of her parents, blocking them with her body,
guarding them, her arms outstretched. As if she could stop anything a
vampire might decide to do. For their part, her parents looked as if
they’d watched a horror movie creature impossibly survive and get
up to continue stalking its prey. Their minds refused to accept it.
    He reached out,
using all his strength to force the tremor in his arm to settle.
“Come here, Nicolette.” He hadn’t fed from her nearly enough
the previous night. With the bond just forming, he hadn’t wanted to
risk harming her, especially with her malnourishment.
    She moved on
shaking legs toward him while he watched her parents, waiting for
another weapon to materialize.
    Her arms were
outstretched in a placating gesture, her voice soft as if trying to
calm a small child’s tantrum. “Please, don’t be angry.”
    “I’m not
angry, but I need you.” When she reached him, he grasped her arm,
and keeping an eye on her parents to make sure no more bullets were
forthcoming, he bit into her wrist.
    She let out a
surprised cry, her instincts initiating a struggle, but he held her
firm. He didn’t bother stopping after a few token sips. Now that
they were joined, he didn’t have to. He could gorge on her, and it
wouldn’t do any lasting damage.
    A figure moved in
his peripheral vision, and August raised his head. Nicolette’s
blood dripped from his fangs onto his hand and down his arm as he
growled low at the father. Lois had wisely chosen to remain backed in
the corner, huddled and small.
    “Go back with
your wife,” August snarled.
    The man, unable to
resist the command, moved back to the corner where they watched,
helpless, as a monster drank their daughter’s blood. Soon, they
wouldn’t remember any of this, so it didn’t matter. He lowered
his head back to Nicolette’s arm and drank his fill. When he
finished, he dragged his tongue over her wrist to clean the mess and
help seal the wounds.
    August wiped his
mouth. “Well,” he said, observing the terrified couple. “I
guess you’ve figured