Free Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) by Karen Michelle Nutt Page A

her
lips nervously and she unconsciously stepped closer to Derek.
    "It's all right, Sloane," he reassured her
and threw Tremayne a warning look that all but said: You better
not prove me wrong. Damn if the vampire's lips didn't
twitch.
    "Sloane," Tremayne said her name like a
caress. "No harm will come to you here."
    Sloane's grip on Derek's arm lessened. "No
harm will come to me here," she repeated in a singsong voice.
    "That's right," Tremayne told her.
    "What the hell are you doing?" Derek took a
step toward the vampire, but Cassandra placed a hand on his arm,
halting his advances. He didn't spare her his infamous glare.
    She snorted, clearly not fazed. "Tremayne
will not harm her," she told him.
    He hesitated. He may not trust vampires, but
his sister trusted this one. He could give Tremayne the
benefit of the doubt.
    "Tell us, Sloane," Tremayne said in the same
calm tone. "What happened the night you were bitten? Remember no
harm will come to you. You'll feel no fear when you recount the
event. Do you understand?"
    Sloane nodded. "Yes. Tim came over to the
house. I fixed dinner." Her lips curved as she remembered. "I made
chicken Parmesan, all fresh ingredients and with homemade tomato
sauce. I don't usually cook so this was special."
    "I'm sure it was delicious, but tell me about
Tim. How was he that night?"
    Her features darkened and she licked her lips
nervously. "It was supposed to be a special night, but Tim was
edgy. He wanted to skip dinner and move things to…the bedroom." She
chewed on her lower lip. "I really like Tim."
    "I'm sure you do," Tremayne agreed.
    "It's just that…he seemed different, really
pushy, and… he was so rough."
    Derek harrumphed and Cassandra shot him a
look to be quiet.
    Tremayne didn't miss a beat. "Did he bite
you?"
    "Yes. It hurt and I tried to make him stop,
but he wouldn't. Tim, please..." She had slipped into the past and
was reliving the moment when Tim had bitten her. "Please, you're
hurting me. Stop it! Stop it!" She grabbed at her neck and her
breathing became labored.
    Tremayne gripped her shoulders. "You're safe,
remember? You are just telling me the story. You aren't there.
You're seeing what unfolded from afar. Do you understand?"
    Her hands fell to her side and she nodded. As
soon as her breathing slowed to normal, Tremayne continued his
questioning.
    "Good, Sloane. You're doing well. Now, you're
standing in the room and you can see Tim and yourself. Is Tim
offering you his blood?"
    Her brows furrowed.
    "You'll answer me, Sloane." Tremayne's voice
was still even toned, but he left no room for her to disobey his
demand for the truth. "Did Tim offer his blood to you?" he
repeated.
    "I didn't want to drink blood." She shook her
head.
    Derek cursed, which won him another glare
from his sister.
    "I know you didn't want to drink," Tremayne
said patiently. "But I need to know: Did you drink Tim's
blood?"
    "After he bit me, I passed out, but when I
awoke again, Tim was holding me. I felt weak and I couldn't fight
him."
    "Go on."
    "He bit his wrist then pressed it to my lips.
I…" she took a deep breath. "I drank." Her brows furrowed and her
tongue slid over her lips. "It didn't taste as bad as I thought it
would." She licked her lips again and her brows furrowed. "Why
doesn't it taste bad?"
    "Remember, you are a bystander. You aren't
tasting the blood now."
    She nodded. "Tim picked me up and laid me on
the bed. Then he left."
    Derek rubbed a hand over his face and inhaled
deeply.
    Tremayne glanced at him. "Do you want her to
remember? I can make her forget this conversation if it is your
wish."
    "I won't lie to her. But— can you tell her
not to be afraid."
    Tremayne nodded and looked at Sloane again.
"You will remember our conversation and what Tim did, but it will
not frighten you now. You will recall it like a dream."
    "…a dream," she repeated.
    "Aye. Now rest. Sleep."
    "Sleep. Yes." Her eyes closed and her body
went limp, but Tremayne easily caught her and lifted her into