Free Craig's Heart by N. J. Walters

obsessed with me and my art.”
    And Damek had read her memories so he knew all this. Was this for his wife’s benefit or was he simply talking to help her feel more relaxed?
    “Got a computer?” Craig asked.
    Damek smiled and Evie was struck hard by the depth of love and friendship she saw in his gaze. “Ah, my friend. I knew you’d want your laptop and sent one of my people to pick up a few things from your apartment. I gave them your keys.”
    Craig patted his jeans pocket and laughed. “I’m not going to ask how or when you got them.”
    “Probably for the best,” Damek agreed.
    Evie felt her cheeks heating. It had to have been while they were in the shower together. That was the only time Craig hadn’t been wearing his jeans. Had Damek seen them naked in the shower? How embarrassing.
    She wondered why she even cared. She didn’t, not really. It didn’t matter what any of them thought of her. She had a mission and she couldn’t forget it. She’d inadvertently turned Craig into a vampire. Now she had to protect him from her maker. She couldn’t forget for one second that Vladimir was obsessed with her and would probably destroy Craig out of sheer jealousy. There was no telling what the crazy vampire might do if he found out about Craig.
    A phone rang and Damek pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Yes.”
    Since they were all vampires, they could all easily hear the conversation.
    “Hey, boss.”
    “Yes, Byron.”
    “Byron is the head bouncer at Damek’s club,” Craig whispered in her ear.
    “I got what you asked for, but I’ve also got some company. I swear I didn’t know they were following me until I reached your building.”
    Damek sighed. “I expected that might happen. It’s not your fault. Give them the items I asked you to retrieve and return to the club.”
    “Sure thing.”
    Damek rose in one fluid motion and walked to the intercom by the door. “Your family is here.” He pushed a button and an aggressive male voice spoke. “Let us in, bloodsucker. I know my brother is with you.”
    “Come up, wolf, but mind your manners.”
    Evie looked at Craig. “Wolf? Is that his name or just a nickname?”
    For a moment, she wasn’t sure Craig was going to answer her. And it hurt, unbearably so, to think he was going to keep a secret from her. The walls she’d begun to lower went back up again with a resounding thud.
    She’d briefly forgotten that they weren’t really a couple, weren’t really anything at all. They’d come together through circumstance, but nothing else bound them together, certainly not the sex they’d shared earlier. Sure it was great sex, but what did they really know about one another or have in common other than the fact they had both been turned into vampires against their will?
    Craig dragged his fingers through his sandy-brown hair and gave a deep sigh. “It’s not his name. It’s what he is. What both my siblings are.”
    She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
    He took one of her hands in his and closed his fingers around it. “Well, vampires exist and so do other creatures.”
    “Other creatures?” she parroted. This was getting to be a little much for her to take in. Damek had called Craig’s brother wolf. “Do you mean he’s a werewolf?” Surely not, but Craig was nodding.
    “Not pureblood, but a half-breed. Both my brother and sister are half-breed werewolves.” He gave an unapologetic shrug. “Same mother, different fathers. I’m totally human, or was.” Now he frowned and released her hand to stare at the door. “I’m not sure how they’re going to take the news I’m now a vampire.”
    Craig turned away from her, all his attention on the front door. Damek flipped open the locks. “They’re here.” He opened the door and two couples walked in.
     
    Craig took a deep breath and slowly released it to calm his nerves. He wanted to reach out to his sister and brother and hug them, but wasn’t sure how they’d react. Evie slipped her