Free Embrace the Darkness (Darkness Series) by Lilly Gayle Page B

a sexy smile before his expression turned serious. “Some are deadly.”
    “I’m a cop. Remember? I’m used to dealing with scumbags.” But not scumbags with supernatural abilities.
    He met her gaze, staring intently, as if trying to decide whether or not to share some deep dark secret. But seriously, what could be deeper or darker than what she already knew? The cat was out of the bag…or rather…the vampire was out of the coffin. She might not be completely sane, but she could no longer deny the truth. Vampires were real.
    The silence stretched. So did her taut nerves. She bit her lip, nervously twisting her fingers together. Besides being inhumanly fast and practically indestructible, vampires lived in almost total obscurity. And they had the power to manipulate witnesses and make evidence disappear. Hadn’t Gerard done that very thing?
    He cleared his throat, as if he’d reached a decision. “For the most part, vampires don’t pose a threat to civilized society. We’re no different than the mortals we once were. Some are good. Some aren’t. We’re just trying to survive eternity the best we can without losing our sanity.”
    “Mortals don’t survive off the blood of others,” she said, stating the obvious.
    “ Mon Dieu! You think we choose this life?” His voice sounded hollow, his eyes so miserable she wanted to bite back the words—no pun intended. But she could no more unsay them than she could un-fire the bullet lodged in his chest.
    Her voice softened. “You can choose whether or not to take a life.”
    “Did you choose to kill in Iraq?”
    Even though there was no judgment in his voice or eyes, she flinched, as horrific images of blood and death flashed through her mind. “It was kill or be killed. But you admitted vampires can survive without killing. You drink stored blood. Sonia takes from willing donors without killing. So, if a vampire kills, it’s a choice. Not survival.”
    His shoulders sagged as if burdened by a heavy weight. “Being immortal takes a toll on the soul. Eventually, some lose touch with the last vestige of humanity. Once that happens, some vampires relieve the tedium of living by blending into the most violent of mortal societies, posing as drug dealers and mob bosses. Still, other vampires cling to their mortal roots, watching over their—descendants—protecting them—directing their lives.”
    His gaze turned serious, penetrating, as if trying to gage her thoughts without reading them. “I think the vampire outside your door tonight has been watching over you. Perhaps he's your ancestor.”
    Fear settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach. For years, she’d sensed something unseen in the dark, something waiting. Watching. She’d blamed her tour in Iraq for the paranoia. But what if she was wrong? What if something watched at night?
    She shivered.
    Yep. Definitely time to up the meds. Even with the beer kicker, the valium just wasn’t cutting it.
    “There’re no vampires hanging from my family tree. Before you flashed those wicked fangs, I didn’t even believe in vampires. I thought I made Nicolas up to cope with my friend, Andrew’s death.” But buried memories from her past were rising up to haunt her days as well as her nights. The nightmares she’d suffered for years were more than just dreams. They were memories—memories she’d desperately tried to suppress.
    “How did Andrew die?” His compassionate tone drew her in, encouraging her to confess her darkest secrets.
    A tremor shook her. Her pulse pounded, heavy and hard against her ribs.
    “He was murdered. I was with him when—” Her voice cracked. Swallowing past a near-overwhelming lump of emotion, she added, “It was easier to let the Polizei, the MP’s, my commander, and the army doctors convince me we’d been attacked by a drug-crazed Gypsy. It made a hell of a lot more sense than the truth.”
    He held her gaze. “And what’s the truth? Tell me about Germany. And Nicolas.”
    She