Free Vampire's Hunger by Cynthia Garner Page A

“there’s still a spark of their soul left behind, something that the Unseen can latch onto in order to reanimate the corpse.” She turned her attention back to Maddalene. “But with someone who’s been dead for over a hundred years…” She shook her head. “It would take too much of the Unseen for reanimation to occur,” she protested, not adding that it might very well drive her insane. She had the feeling Maddalene wouldn’t care about that. “What was brought back wouldn’t necessarily be that person. There might be a spark of a soul left to attach to, but not enough.”
    “I couldn’t care less about his soul,” the vampire queen said. “I just want him.”
    “Who?” Kimber asked.
    “That is irrelevant to you.” Maddalene’s tone was as imperious as Kimber had ever heard it. “What is relevant is what I can do for you if you perform this one task for me.”
    Kimber had no interest in trying to raise a century-old corpse, but she was curious as to what bribe Maddalene thought to offer. “And what would that be?” Kimber asked.
    “Protection for you and your friends. Safe passage anywhere in the city, with my vampires keeping the zombies at bay. Or, if you’d prefer, a guarantee of your safety to stay here. With Duncan.” Her gaze cut to her second in command and one perfectly shaped eyebrow rose.
    It shouldn’t have surprised her that Maddalene knew about Duncan’s desire for her. But it did. And it unsettled her.
    “That’s a tempting offer,” Kimber said truthfully. To get even one night’s sleep without waking because of the worry zombies would break in was more attractive than she wanted to admit out loud. “But I’m sorry. It can’t be done. It shouldn’t be done.”
    Maddalene’s eyes narrowed and irritation shot silver through her dark irises. She beckoned to the man on her right and, when he knelt before her, she leaned over to whisper in his ear. He inclined his head. He stood and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.
    “Then let me amend my offer,” Maddalene said in a soft voice that nevertheless held steely determination. “Do this for me, or you and your friends’ lives will be forfeit.”
    Ice slide down Kimber’s spine and spread through her belly.
    “No! Maddalene, you’ve gone too far.” Duncan took a step forward. “We’ve talked about this—”
    “And the time for talk has passed.” The vampire queen rose to her feet and stared down at Kimber. “I will give you forty-eight hours to think on this, Kimberly. After that, your fate and that of your friends is in my hands. Whatever the outcome, know that it’s because of your decision.” She waved one hand. “You may rejoin your friends while Duncan and I chat further.”
    Kimber fought down her panic and left the room without looking at Duncan. She was afraid of what she’d see—either a reassuring glance that wouldn’t convince her, or an expression of frustration and dismay that would only increase her own alarm. As soon as she left Maddalene’s chambers she realized that the two vampires who’d been guarding the door to Duncan’s suite were no longer there. “Shit,” she muttered and sprinted to Duncan’s. With another grumbled imprecation, she threw open the door. Natalie and Bishop both looked up from where they were still seated, alive and well, on the sofa. Relief weakened her knees so that she almost fell. She closed the door behind her.
    “What is it?” Natalie cried out, jumping to her feet. She rushed over to Kimber and grabbed her arm. “What’s wrong?”
    “The guards are gone,” Kimber whispered. “I was afraid…”
    “We’re fine,” Bishop said, coming over to them. “We didn’t even know they were gone.” He glanced at Natalie and then looked at Kimber again. “I wonder why they left.”
    Kimber remembered the vampire queen sending the human out of the room. “I think Maddalene’s making a point,” she said softly. She wandered over to the