Free The Vampire's Curse by Mandy Rosko Page B

heal.”
    "Days.” Evey corrected. “Vampire, remember? And better a few days injured than forever dead."
    "You've just earned a lifetime supply of type O."
    Evey grinned tiredly. "Damned straight I did."
    Actually, why would it have to take so long to heal? Jackie took Evey by the face and planted a long kiss on her left cheek.
    Her arm did not heal. The skin did not thicken out to a normal white. Nothing happened.
    Bewildered, she kissed the same spot. Again nothing happened.
    “Nervous?” Evey asked.
    Jackie’s lips trembled as twin tears spilled down her cheeks. She wasn’t just nervous, she was completely frazzled, and her magic refused to work for her. Right when she needed it the most.
    “I guess you really will need a hospital,” she said.
    Evey’s eyes became half lidded. “I’ll be fine.”
    Jackie didn't want to leave her, but she had to get up and check on the damage and body count to make sure they were safe. Slowly, she peered through the hole that took up nearly a quarter of the door. Three dead feral vampires, charred and smoking beyond any human recognition, lay dead on the floor. The giant hole through the shop window blew in cold air from outside. Jackie shivered, praying that someone heard the commotion, or at least saw the bright flash of light and called the police.
    The problem was that Patty's Potions N' More wasn't located on a busy road, or even surrounded by many other businesses. There was the animal clinic across the street and City Cycles and Skates was close, but they were closed for the night, and because they were near the highway the other buildings on the same street were spread out.
    "Did you say there were some ferals still outside?"
    Jackie didn't need Evey to answer, a bald head appeared just alongside of the broken window and gazed inside, then another, followed by their bodies that moved in a flowing motion, hissing and spitting as they surveyed the damage.
    Jackie couldn't move. She knew they could see her behind the door, but they didn't enter to get her. She clutched her garlic spray tighter in case they tried to run in for her.
    But then the one feral ran away and the other couldn't run fast enough as he was tackled to the floor by a third feral.
    They rolled in the snow in a ball of claws, blood and teeth, fighting for dominance until the face of the one came into better view under a street light.
    It was no feral. "That's Kyle!"
    She looked to Evey, but she lay crooked against the wall, her eyes shut in unconsciousness. Jackie turned back to the fight just in time to watch Kyle turn and snap the neck of the feral as easily as though he'd twisted the cap off a beer bottle.
    Jackie cringed at the sound of bones breaking that reached her in her hiding place. She looked back through the hole as Kyle walked into the shop. He used the glass door that was still intact instead of the broken window, the bell chiming as he came in.
    Jackie opened the door and rushed out to meet him. She didn't care that he might be mad at her for calling the police on him, or about the black, smoking bodies around her feet, she just cared that there was someone to help her and Evey.
    He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it, trying not to pay attention to the fangs or bloody claws. "We need to get Evey to a hospital."
    "Who?"
    She showed him to the backroom where Evey lay pale and still out of it against the wall.
    He looked at her, his jaw clenched and his eyes hard, and she knew that he was thinking about it. Thinking of letting her deal with all this on her own. After all, she did pretty much betray his trust. Why should he help her?
    "Please." She begged.
    Kyle sighed and looked back at Evey before walking in and lifting her into his arms, it was only when the sweater slipped from Evey's body did he see her charred arm.
    His eyes flashed briefly but aside from that he didn’t give any other indication of disgust or fear. "How did that happen?" He shook Evey a little in his arms.