Free Reining In (The Network) by Dawn Judd Page A

Mack knew everything….
    Vyktor didn’t even know the whole truth. How could I tell anyone else. I knew it wouldn’t make things better; maybe it would make things worse. So I kept it to myself. I suppose that is what turned me into this neurotic mess of a vampire. Nothing worse that a vampire who is losing her mind, is there?
    A snapping twig broke the silence around me, bringing me back to reality. I knew it was Jake, even before he said anything. I knew his scent better than anything else. It was almost intoxicating to me. He had no idea how hard it was to leave him; ever. I leaned my head into his shoulder as he settled into the sand beside me.
    “Having second thoughts?” he asked quietly. I could hear the fear in his voice as he assumed that he had guessed correctly as to why I was sitting out here alone.
    “Bad dreams,” I answered, hoping that would be enough and I wouldn’t have to explain anything tonight.
    “So you’re not unhappy you came here?”
    “Jake, I’ve never been unhappy to be with you!” I paused and looked up at him. God he had the most beautiful eyes. But it was what I saw in those eyes that held me there. It was what I always saw in his eyes. He would never leave me; he would never lie to me; he would never hurt me; and he would never betray me. Most of all, I could see in his eyes that he loved me, truly, deeply and unconditionally. I wished I could say that I was all those things to him. I had hurt him, I had lied to him, and I had left him. My only redeeming quality was that I did love him; more than anything, I loved him.
    I reached up to touch his face. It was so perfect; his skin so soft. I smiled as I traced his jawline with my finger. His warm skin was electric against my cool fingers, a feeling I never grew tired of. I lost myself in the moment and had almost forgotten why it was that I was sitting out here in the first place. Jake had pulled me onto his lap as I hungrily undid the buttons on his shirt. I was working my fingers around the last button when I heard it.
    It was not a distinct noise, nor was it close, yet it was enough to snap me back to reality. I stopped what I was doing and sat straight up. Jake reached for me, but I quickly stopped him, signaling for him to be still. He looked confused, but Jake had known me long enough to know not to question me in these types of situations.
    I stood up and looked around, breathing in the salty air. I was looking for any trace of an intruder. I listened for several minutes, but heard nothing more. Maybe it was my imagination. Surely I had been on edge lately, especially after my visit to Vyktor’s house. But something kept me from relaxing.
    I never questioned that feeling. It was the one thing that kept me alive for so long. I could sense danger, feel it, taste it. That is how I knew that there was something out there. I could hear anything; I couldn’t see or smell anything, but something was there.
    “Go in the house, quietly!” I whispered to Jake, with as much urgency as I could muster. “Lock the doors behind you.” Jake started to protest, trying to get me to come with, but I insisted. Deep down, he knew I could take care of myself, but his pride often had him trying to take care of me. It was cute, really, but this was not one of those times when I could afford to let him take the lead. If my senses were right, we were both in very great danger.
    When I made sure that Jake had done as I asked, I started walking in the direction that I was sure the noise had came from. Not walking really; more like stalking. I was, after all, a predator, and some other predator was invading my territory. I kept below the dunes, hoping that they would prevent my scent from giving me away.
    The breeze was in my favor, and creeping into it, I was sure that I had not been detected. That is, of course, if whatever it was I was looking for had not been hunting me in the first place. As I neared a bay that led in to where an old plantation