Free Younger, Bree - Burn [All American Vampires 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Bree Younger Page B

skin was a warm tan. Not pale like she would have thought a vampire would be.
    “If you’re a vampire, how come you didn’t just burn up when the sun came up?”
    He smiled, but didn’t open his eyes. “You’ve been watching too many vampire movies.”
    “So I guess that’s not true, then.”
    “Sun can damage us, especially prolonged exposure. Our bodies regenerate fairly quickly if we have enough blood. But a whole day in the sun will hurt us—badly. And if we can’t regenerate, then we die.”
    “Well, I’m glad it wasn’t true, otherwise you’d have been nothing but ashes by the time I found you.”
    “Most of the myths about vampires are pretty inaccurate.”
    “Like what?”
    He ticked the items off on his fingers. “Garlic has no effect on us. We can see ourselves in a mirror just fine. We can cross water. We aren’t affected by crosses or holy water. We’re not immortal, just very long-lived.”
    “How long?”
    “I don’t really know. The oldest vampire I’ve ever met was almost a thousand years old.”
    “Good lord.” It took a moment to digest that. She couldn’t stop staring at him. “How old are you, Ty?”
    “I was twenty-eight when I was turned.”
    “And how long ago was that?”
    “It was the year 1806. You do the math.”
    It took her a moment. Math wasn’t her strongest suit. “You’re almost 250 years old?”
    “Please, I’m barely in my 230s. I’m considered quite young for my kind.”
    She grinned. Okay, so he could be funny. That was unexpected. He really wasn’t behaving much like her idea of how a vampire should act.
    ‘What about psychic powers? Or the ability to change into a bat”
    “No. No bats. And limited psychic powers. Very limited. Mostly connected to biting.”
    “So tell me…”
    He groaned and stood up. “Look, Libby. As much as I’m enjoying this interrogation—er—conversation, I’ve got a killer headache and I really need some blood and some rest, in that order.” He looked down at her plate. “Are you finished eating?”
    She huffed at the thinly veiled accusation but conceded she might have come across a little pushy, so she just nodded and he took the plate, bowl, and glass to set them in the kitchen. Then he walked back to her.
    She rose to stand beside him, amazingly reluctant for him to leave. “Ah…do you want me to come with you?”
    He managed a smile. “I think I can manage.” He walked down the hall and looked into the bedroom and what she assumed was the bath. “I want you to wait for me in here.” She followed him down the hall and peeked around him into the small bath.
    “But why?”
    “Because it’s the safest room. There’s no window and only one entrance, so it’s easily defended.” He passed her the gun. She took it, surprised that he would trust her with the weapon. “Use this on anybody who tries to get in.” He pushed her through the door. “Except me.”
    Okay. That made her nervous. What if those bad vamps found her? “Maybe I should go with you. I could help you look for the deer and stuff.”
    “Absolutely not. I’ll be moving much too fast for you to keep up. You should be fine here. I won’t be gone very long.”
    “You promise?” She hated the whiny, pleading tone of her voice but couldn’t help it. And she knew she was acting ridiculously. Not thirty minutes ago she was running away from him, and now she didn’t want to let him out of her sight. But he made her feel safe.
    He reached out and brushed a finger across her cheek. “I promise, Lib. You’ll hardly even know I’m gone. You promise me that you will not leave this room. No more trying to escape. I’m not strong enough right now to perform any type of rescue.”
    “I promise.”
    He drew back. “Now lock the door behind me. And don’t come out. Not for anything. You understand?”
    She nodded and he gave her one last nod of reassurance before the door closed with a thump.

Chapter Six

    Quinn sat at his desk, his mind