Free Reborn to Bite (Vampire Shadows Book 1) by Mark Gronwald Page A

like it didn't take."
    Sabine immediately liked the old man. She sensed humility and a clever mind behind the friendly old man facade. What could she say around Doug without giving away what had really happened? "I think she needs to look at what's making her feel so bad inside."
    Mike gave her a quizzical look, and reached into his pocket. "Just one more test," he said, as he pulled out something silver and slapped it to Sabine's unprotected wrist.

CHAPTER 5
     
     
    Sabine stood with her back to the edge of the porch in a defensive stance, fists up and ready. She'd seen the shiny metal, and reacted on instinct as though it was a knife.
    "Whoa," One of the teenagers said, a boy with long hair and a surfer look. His eyes were wide. "I've never seen someone move that fast before, Grandpa."
    Little Tiana, ever the helpful one, giggled. "Sabine's a vampire hunter."
    Mike narrowed his eyes at Tiana. "Is that so?" He held up the shiny metal thing to reveal a silver cross, dangling by a chain. Red marks decorated his fingers where he had held the silver directly.
    Sabine made a mental note that silver burned werewolves just like it did vampires. The cross itched at her consciousness like a grain of sand in her shoe. Part of her instinctively wanted to avert her eyes, but she ignored the impulse as usual. She relaxed and tried to stand normally, pulling off her glove to check her wrist. "Jeez! I thought you had a knife and you were going to cut me or something," she said, inspecting a tiny red mark that healed to nothing as she watched.
    Mike waved the cross in the air. "You're not cringing from the cross."
    Sabine reached into her turtleneck and pulled out her own cross, letting it fall on her chest. "Why would I?"
    Doug smiled, wiping away the concerned look he'd been wearing.
    Mike huffed and put away the cross. "Let me see your hand, please."
    Sabine glanced at her hand. The mark on her wrist from the silver cross was completely gone, so she held it up so he could see. The pentagram tattoo with strange symbols might be considered unusual, but it's not like she could hide it forever.
    "Could I see your other hand?"
    Sabine took off her other glove and showed both palms. The pack moved closer and stared.
    "When did you get those?" Doug asked.
    "About a year ago," Sabine replied, before thinking.
    "Esmerelda! Come out here for a minute," Mike yelled.
    The younger werewolves all jockeyed for position to see the tattoos. Val and Trent stood back, whispering.
    A graying grandmotherly type woman came out of the house, shutting the screen door. "What is it, husband? I was making a stew for everyone."
    Sabine could feel something in the air as the old woman came forward. An aura? The woman had an essence that was different from the shape-shifters. Sabine sniffed the air and smelled nothing but L'Air du Temps. Sabine greeted the woman with a cautious "Um. Hi."
    "Esmerelda my dear, we have company. Doug here was witness to that ugly incident with Jesse in the hospital, and these are Doug's companions."
    Doug extended a hand. "Nice to meet you. This is my daughter Tiana, and that's my friend Sabine."
    Tiana tried to hide behind Doug, but he was surrounded by strangers. She saw Sabine standing alone and ran to hide behind Sabine.
    Sabine's heart soared at the trust the little girl had placed in her, and she was instantly filled with a mothering urge to protect the little one.
    The old woman smiled and shook Doug's hand. A look passed between them, and Doug frowned. He glanced at Sabine and stepped over next to her, reaching for Tiana. The little girl hesitated for a fraction of a second before joining him again.
    Esmerelda raised an eyebrow at Doug, and her lip quirked into a half smile.
    "So what have we here?" The woman asked, approaching Sabine.
    For the second time in her life, Sabine felt a tickle in her consciousness. The last time had been when she'd been dancing, and had ended with her becoming a monster. She panicked, fresh waves of