Free Unseen by Yolanda Sfetsos

it. He played mind games and didn’t shy away from hurting anyone he felt was in his way or could rouse a reaction from his primary target. It was why he couldn’t understand this new routine Luis had of grabbing a random person and turning them instantly.
    But Trina had just become Luis’s ultimate prize.
    Trina was long gone by the time Doug noticed Luis on the roof of the building where her coworker lived. Before Doug could decide on what to do, Luis had already slipped inside the guy’s place. The man was now in danger.
    Shit! He couldn’t afford to blow his cover with Luis. He would have to let Trina do it.
    He sighed and headed for the man’s apartment. He was probably already too late, but he had to see if he could somehow save the man from Luis.
    He crossed from one side of the roof to the other, and paused when he heard the click of the door below him. Luis skipped down the stairs and walked onto the street, as if he were just a casual bystander who’d stopped by to visit a friend.
    Once Luis’s footsteps completely retreated, Doug became the third person to slip into the man’s apartment tonight. He closed and locked the door behind him, and the smell of warm blood stung his every sense. It was like a toxic drug he couldn’t ignore, and his fangs pushed through his gums. The smell of blood roused this uncontrollable reaction from him, but it didn’t mean he had to follow it through by killing. He was here to see if this human was still alive.
    If he wasn’t, Doug would be forced to put him out of his misery.

 
    Chapter Ten
    Trina jumped, and her heartbeat sped up when someone knocked against the sliding door. She didn’t have visitors at home, hadn’t even invited the priest and his deacon over yet. Her apartment was her sanctuary, untouched by the other, darker things in her life.
    She grabbed the wooden stake sitting on the couch and headed for the door. Clutching it tightly and hiding it behind her back, she pushed the thick curtain aside. She sighed with a mixture of relief and confusion. What the hell was he doing here?
    Trina kept the stake at her back and opened both doors—sliding and screen— with her other hand, before blurting, “What the hell are you doing here?”
    Vigilante simply smiled. Apparently not bothered by the fact he’d just appeared on her balcony when he was supposed to be meeting her in an alley in less than an hour.
    “I was in the neighborhood, and thought I’d surprise you.” he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to appear on her doorstep.
    “I’m not even going to ask how you know where I live.” She looked over his shoulder, trying to see if anyone else had decided to drop in for a visit.
    “I’ll tell you anyway. I followed you home the other night.”
    She shook her head, trying to hide the surprise. Why hadn’t she noticed him? She was usually diligent about making sure no one was following her.
    Instead of letting him see how his stalking affected her, she said, “You better not have led that other asshole here.”
    “I didn’t, but he’s probably watching us right now. You’re not exactly hard to track.” He met her gaze and smiled. “May I come in?”
    Trina rolled her eyes and headed back inside, resisting the urge to slam both doors in his face. “You might as well, since you’re already here.” She was about to ask how he’d climbed six stories to reach her balcony, but remembered how easily he’d dropped out of nowhere in the back alley only a few nights ago.
    His laugh echoed behind her. “You’ve got to be kidding me, a welcome mat for vampires? Do you like to tempt fate or something?”
    “I don’t even know if it works.”
    The sound of the sliding door gliding across its track made her turn around, but she relaxed as she watched him taking in the living room.
    “Nice place,” Doug said looking around. “Not too cozy, but nice.” His eyes skimmed around the apartment, and she couldn’t help