Free Vampire Hunt (Kiera Hudson Series #3) by Tim O'Rourke Page B

watched. Jumping backwards into the outhouse so as not to be seen, I felt someone take hold of me and pull me inside.
    “Get off me!” I hissed, lashing out at whomever it was that had grabbed me.
    “Easy, tiger,” Potter whispered back. “You shouldn’t be out here on your own. It’s not safe.”
    With his arms snaked around my waist, I tried to pull away. “You can let go of me now,” I told him. But he didn’t, instead bringing his face in closer to mine. In the gloom, and I could see his eyes shining.
    “You don’t really mean that,” he whispered and I could feel his warm breath against my neck. Gooseflesh ran over my skin.
    “Yes, I do,” I said, but I knew I didn’t sound convincing and I hated myself for it.
    “Why?” he breathed.
    “Because you’re dangerous,” I told him, feeling his arms tighten, as he pressed himself against me.
    “You like dangerous,” he said, bringing his mouth closer to mine.
    “No, I don’t,” I whispered back, a strange sense of excitement racing through me.
    “Yeah, you do,” he said, “or you wouldn’t be here now.” Then, leaning into me, he covered my lips with his. His stubble felt rough against my face as did his hands that worked their way around the back of my neck so he could pull me even closer against him.
    My heart raced in my chest and the urge to just give into him was suddenly so overpowering that it made me feel dizzy. Then, knowing in my heart that what was happening was wrong, I pulled my lips from his, and pushed him gently away.
    “I can’t,” I whispered. “I just can’t.”
    “Why?” he asked, and he didn’t sound angry – just confused.
    “Why do you think?” I said, doing my best to not look at him.
    “What about what happened in the gatehouse?” he asked, coming close again, close enough so I could feel him brushing against me.
    “That was a mistake and you know it,” I told him, trying to make my voice sound as hard and indifferent as possible – but I knew that it wasn’t working.
    “What about the summerhouse?” he reminded me. “Was that a mistake, too?”
    “I thought I was going to die,” I said, then realising how bad that must have sounded to him, I tried to take it back. “Look, I didn’t -”
    “Just forget it, Kiera,” he said, moving away from me.
    “It’s just that I have feelings for Luke,” I tried to explain.
    Looking back at me, he lit a cigarette, and said, “But he’s so boring, don’t you think?”
    “That’s your friend,” I reminded him.
    “I know,” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t mean that.”
    “What did you mean then?” I asked him, wrapping my arms around me.
    “Nothing,” he half-smiled.
    Taking a step closer to him, I said, “Who was it, Potter?”
    “Who was what?” he said, looking back at me over the glow of his cigarette.
    “Whoever it was that hurt you?” I said.
    “Why must I have been hurt, for crying-out-loud,” he snapped, pitching out his cigarette.
    “It’s just that I thought…” I started.
    “Well you thought wrong, sweet-cheeks,” he almost seemed to growl as he came towards me. “I never let anyone close enough to hurt me…but you should watch your back.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, watching him head for the broken-in doorway.
    “Isidor,” he said looking back at me. “I wouldn’t trust him as long as I’ve got a hole in my arse.”
    “Why not?” I said feeling suddenly bewildered.
    “Think yourself a great detective do you?” Potter said, now almost seeming to gloat. “Don’t you think it’s a bit odd that since wonder-boy appeared on the scene those vampires seemed to know every move that we make?”
    “Well, erm…” I couldn’t believe what he was trying to suggest about Isidor.
    Then coming so close as if to kiss me again, Potter said, “Don’t you think it’s just an incy-bitzy bit of a coincidence that he showed up just moments after Kayla was snatched by Phillips? He then completely