Free Crimson Rush A Vampire Romance (Crimson Book 1) by Lorraine Kennedy

over the static. I tried fiddling with the tuner, but nothing helped.
    A sudden movement in the passenger seat sent my heart clear up into my throat. Panicked, I slammed on the brakes. The car fishtailed before coming to a stop just off the side of the road.
    Jaycee sat in the seat next to me, staring straight ahead. She had muddy water dripping from her clothes and blond hair. Without taking my eyes off her, I reached down with my left hand to feel for the door handle.
    Jaycee jerked her head in my direction. “Run from the him Star! Run!”
    Even before the scream ripped from my throat, she was gone. I blinked rapidly, no longer sure I’d seen her at all.
    It was my gift, or more accurately, my curse. There were times when I could hear the dead, and on occasion even see them, but never had it been so dramatic, or so frightening.
    What had she meant? Who had she meant?
    I breathed in as much oxygen as my lungs would take, and let it out slowly. As soon as my hands stopped trembling, I put the car in gear and pulled back onto the highway.
    Rarely did the dead make contact without a damn good reason. In view of Jaycee’s ominous message, it might be time to reconsider my involvement with vampires.
    * * *
    With there still being a few hours left until sunset, I decided it would be best to leave the information with Aaron. I wasn’t thrilled with the thought of waiting around until nightfall for Marcus to wake, or whatever it was that vampires called coming alive once the sun went down.
    This time when I knocked, Aaron opened the door quickly and stepped aside so I could enter.
    “I just wanted to leave some information for Marcus,” I told him.
    Aaron held up his hand. “Don’t be leaving any messages with me. Your business with him … is between the two of you. It doesn’t have anything to do with me,” Aaron said, before spinning on his heels to stalk away.
    “Wait! Marcus isn’t around is he?”
    Stopping, he turned back to face me. “Vampires sleep during the day. That’s a no-brainer.”
    “Well that’s what I figured. That’s why I was thinking I’d just leave the info with you.”
    Scowling, he shook his head. “Why are you being so stupid? If you keep hanging with Marcus, you’re going to end up getting hurt. You seem like a nice person. I’d hate to see that happen to you.”
    I stared at him, wide-eyed and at a loss for words.
    When I didn’t respond, he continued, “One way or another, all vamp lovers end up dead in the end.”
    I decided it was time to set him straight. “You’re mistaken. It’s not like that.”
    He gave me a smile, but it was a sad smile. “Are you really trying to lie to me, or yourself? I’ve seen that starry eyed look on hundreds of women, including my sister. Not once has anything good come of it.”
    “What happened to your sister?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t overstepping.
    “She is dead now … or at least she’d undead, but she’s gone either way. They’re never the same once they turn.”
    “Marcus turned her?” I didn’t know why I was surprised. When I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine a vampire as old as Marcus, having any humanity left in him. Why wouldn’t he be vicious?
    Aaron’s long sigh made me think of a ravished soul, too tired to go on.
    “Marcus didn’t do it, but he might as well have. When he tossed her aside, Shelia was willing to do anything to get his attention, even die. She convinced another vamp to turn her.”
    “I’m sorry,” I told him.
    “It’s done and over with,” he said with a shrug.
    “Did it work? I asked. “Did he notice her then?”
    Aaron’s smile was hard and bitter. “He ordered her sire to take her away.”
    “So why are you here? It’s plain as day you’re not happy.”
    “I’m Grace’s feeder, and she hasn’t released me.”
    Frowning, I asked, “You mean you can’t just leave?”
    His shoulders lifted in a careless shrug. “Maybe I could … and maybe she’d even let me, but I