Free Know Thine Enemy by Rosalie Stanton

of mercy?"
    Prentiss 's eyes narrowed. "We don't kill here," he said. "I told you, human life is something we consider precious."
    " So that's it?" Her hands flexed. She took another glance around the room, but nothing had revealed itself since the first look, and her head still ached. "You just kidnapped me to give me a sales pitch and now I leave . . . no harm, no other stuff?"
    The look on the vampire 's face clearly betrayed he would like nothing more than to leap down the length of the table and ravage her throat, but he hid it behind another tight smile.
    " That's right," he said. "If you feel there's nothing you would like to do for us, then you're free to go."
    " After I'm untied."
    " That's right."
    " And I won't be asked to make a blood donation?"
    " We don't drink human blood," Prentiss said. "Our supply comes from butchers willing to give us a cut of their stock. Pig, cattle . . . we eat whatever we can, so long as it didn't come from a human host."
    " You know," Izzie said. "Piggies have feelings, too."
    He ignored her. "If you think you might reconsider—"
    " I won't."
    Prentiss huffed and waved a hand. "Very well. Juliette, if you will."
    The dark-headed female at his right nodded and slowly made her way around the table, focused intently on Izzie 's face. Izzie returned the stare with all she could muster, though she wouldn't deny the nervous thrill that rushed down her spine as the woman neared. Now or never, if the girl wanted a bite. It didn't help that Juliette possessed a pair of disturbingly large brown eyes—the sort that seemed ordinary but became unsettling the longer they remained attached to one object. By the time the vampire was within reach, a bone-rattling shudder had racked through Izzie's body, but she refused to look away. She wouldn't give Juliette, or Prentiss, the satisfaction.
    At last, Juliette looked down , her hands prying at Izzie's bonds.
    " Here you go, dearie," she purred. "Good as new."
    Izzie shivered, her aching skin humming with relief as the ropes fell away. She glanced at her dagger, and though her hand ached for the familiarity of its smooth handle, she kept herself from seizing it. No sudden movements seemed to be the best bet—she wouldn't believe they truly intended to let her walk out the door until she had put at least three county lines between them.
    " If you reconsider," Prentiss said, "we'll leave word at The Wall concerning how you might find us."
    Izzie paused. For whatever reason, she 'd assumed The Wall was Ryker's sanctuary. If they had informants from within Connor's place, there might be nowhere safe for the mysterious vamp to hide. At least not in this town.
    Then again, it wasn 't any concern of hers.
    Not really.
    "Yeah, well," she said, shaking off the thought as her fingers inched toward her blade. "I'd say don't hold your breath, but something tells me that won't be a problem."
    Prentiss smiled thinly. "It's been a pleasure."
    " There's a word for it."
    " Don't forget your knife."
    Her feigned aloofness vanished the second he referred to the blade. Izzie fisted the handle and relaxed. She glanced at Juliette and smiled faintly before turning back to Prentiss.
    No sudden movements.
    "Don't worry," she said. "Never go anywhere without it."
    " Yes," Prentiss replied, his tone ominous. "I know."
     
    * * * * *
     
    He didn't like this.
    Ryker didn 't know how long he'd stared at the sliver of sidewalk where Izzie's scent hung the heaviest, annoyed with himself for caring but unable to stop his inner cricket from singing.
    He hadn 't intended to come out this way at all, but Connor had asked him to lock up the front, which typically meant ensuring the rowdier customers hadn't made a mess outside. The sweet, natural aroma of a young woman was something no vampire could resist. It was the first thing he'd noticed about Izzie, the first thing he'd committed to memory. Her scent. Her pure, undoctored, all-female scent.
    Women nowadays bathed in perfume, and