Free Bonedust by Xoe Xanders Page A

“Stay.” Then he turned, reaching out a hand. “Gabe, come here…”
    Gabriel regarded him warily, then moved towards the bed, giving Pandora a wide berth. He slowly sank down on the mattress and he placed his hands in his lap. His fingers twined together, tapping along the side of his hand.
    “I’m being hunted by my…master,” he said, his tone bitter. “Another slave helped me escape, just before…before he could Change me. It’s only a matter of time before he tracks me down. If he finds you here, with me, he’ll kill you.” A frown creased his forehead. “But I can’t do this on my own. I didn’t know who else to call. I just… I need help, Urban.”
    Urban stood still for a moment, then knelt beside the bed, rocking back on his heels. “I’m not afraid, if that’s what you’re getting at. I don’t prefer staking vamps, but I can do it if I have to—”
    “No!” Anxiety flashed in Gabriel’s eyes. “He’s too strong. Caine told me I had to find a certain hunter, but everywhere I ask, people warn me away from him. I thought that maybe you could help me figure out where to find him. If not him, then maybe someone who could stake my master. Ugh, I hate that word.” He hunched his shoulders and Urban’s heart jumped into his throat. No. It wasn’t possible.
    “It depends on who you’re looking for. Sure, babe, I’ve got connections but I’m not Halcion.” He tried to keep his tone light, carefree; tried to keep the nerves from coloring his voice black and blue. “All you can do is try me.”
    “His name is Dante Saunders.”
    And Urban’s heart nearly stopped beating.
    After all these years… Dante. It all came back to Dante.

Chapter Eight

    His lips still tingled from the pressure of Urban’s kiss, sparking a fire deep within him. Nerves made his heart flutter and he resisted the urge to reach up and touch his mouth. The scary part was…he liked it. A lot more than he should’ve. He should’ve reacted, should’ve said something, should’ve pushed him away. Instead, he’d damn near melted against the other man.
    The look on Urban’s face was hard to read. The tiniest of lines had etched themselves into the snake’s forehead for a moment, the man lost in thought before they smoothed and gave Gabriel back the Urban that he knew—carefree and slightly arrogant. But for a moment, he thought he’d seen a glimmer in those pale eyes, a wave of recognition. “Do you know him?” Please, oh Goddess, please let this uphill battle be won…
    Urban lifted one shoulder in a shrug, popping down beside Gabriel on the bed. He sat with his legs crossed. Pandora strained against her leash, but it held fast. She bounced back, lunged, and bounced back again. She whined pathetically before giving up and flopping down on the carpet with a moan. Goddess, she’d better not tear anything up. Gabriel couldn’t afford any repairs on this shithole.
    “Heard of him. Everyone has, really.” Urban’s tone was nonchalant. “He’s a vampire, several hundred years old at least. I’ve heard that he’s beautiful but deadly—a cobra waiting to strike. Some say he drinks the blood of innocents.” He paused, catching Gabriel’s eye and he almost expected Urban to crack a grin and say ‘Just kidding’, but he didn’t. He remained somber. “People want to stake him out of fear. Vampires want to stake him because he’s a traitor to his own kind, a vampire-hunting vampire. Last I heard, he’d gone into hiding. Doubt the man’s dead, though. Just gonna be a bitch to find.”
    “How long do you think it will take? To find him, I mean.” Gabriel asked, his stomach knotting. His luck, they wouldn’t be able to find Dante Saunders. They’d be stuck with some hick vampire hunter who didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. The guy would probably end up as Jeremie’s meal, and then where would Gabriel be? He sighed softly.
    “You never know about these things. All we can do is give it our