“I told you, relax.” Roane shifted closer and his chest was nearly pressed against me with an arm tucked around me. To the outside observer, we were a couple on the quick way to a dark corner. To my inside observer, I was pretty sure I might’ve wet my pants.
‘It’s not him. It’s not him,’ I chanted to myself.
Roane chuckled softly against my cheek. “You’re right. It’s not me. It’s your ex.”
My eyes flew wide open—I’d closed them without realizing it, but I caught my breath when I saw Roane watching me knowingly, amused, and did I detect some sympathy too? My hand tightened around the beer bottle. It was my only weapon of defense.
“You’re freaked out about all vampires because of one bad seed.”
“You’re all bad seeds.”
“True, but most of have us enough control and self-discipline. We have carnal desires, but we don’t act on them. If we did vampires wouldn’t be a secret to 90% of the world’s population.”
True, but… they were still evil. I took a nervous sip of my beer, but I didn’t taste it. In fact, as I felt the lightened bottle, I realized that either it had evaporated or I’d drunk most of it already. I wet my dry lips and hoped it had evaporated. “What… what did you mean before when you said that I know too much?”
“You do.” Roane tucked his hand that had rested on the counter behind my back and pulled me close. We were now flush against each other.
Craig was the reason why I was feeling this jittery, hot flash, shivering reaction. It had nothing to do with this vampire.
Roane’s breath tickled my cheek. “There are a lot of vampires here and there is a reason. You’re right. I’d been hoping your friend was here for you. I doubt it, though. That’s why I brought you here.”
I was dumbfounded… and a little woozy.
“Do you see her?” Roane urged me forward. We were embracing now, but he tilted my head to his shoulder where I was able to prop my chin up and then my eyes went wide when I saw what he wanted.
Kates was grinding against her vampire, but I didn’t see lustful Kates. She was on the prowl and I saw a predator glint in her sapphire eyes. She didn’t move thick with desire. She was alert, primed and it didn’t sit well with me.
Roane felt my tension and he nuzzled underneath my ear. “She’s not here for you. She’s not even here for the same reason the rest of us are here. She’s here because she’s about to do something that I don’t want her to do.”
“Why?” My whole body grew numb from the shock.
“You know the decree that was approved by both boards.”
It was the one where hunters replaced slayers. Gulping, I knew where this was going.
“Her mother was ripped to shreds because she violated the decree. That power went to your friend. She was branded because of that. Every vampire will know she’s got slayer power, but if she does what I think she’s here to do—you know what will happen.”
That was the problem. “Please? Just…” ‘…don’t kill her.’
To my surprise, Roane didn’t respond right away. His hand cupped the back of my neck. “You dropped your shield.”
I had, but I hadn’t done it on purpose. ‘Please don’t hurt her. Please… she’s… she saved my life.’
His eyes bore into mine. “I’m a marked Hunter. You know I can’t.”
“What do I do?”
“You save her life. You return the favor and you make sure she doesn’t do what her carnal desires are thirsting for. Make sure she doesn’t kill any vampires or you know what’ll happen to her.” He moved back an inch and signaled for two more drinks. He replaced my empty bottle with a full one. “You’ve seen up close what Hunters will do to anyone who violates the decree.”
I closed my eyes as I saw Craig on fire, his face twisted and angry. I could still smell the charred skin and I couldn’t repress a grimace. My eyes flew open when I felt Roane tip my bottle up. My mouth opened automatically and the cool liquid helped wash some of the bad memories away. I swallowed and held my breath when Roane brushed his thumb over my lips. He held my gaze, but I knew he wasn’t doing the eye radar thing on me. I’d put my shield back in place, but he wet his lips. “I have enough on my plate. I can’t worry that a slayer is going rogue. Take care of her, take care of your friend or… you know what I’ll have to do.”
Talk about no pressure. Save your friend or she’ll die a horrible violent death. Yeah… I downed the rest of my beer. “Yeah… yeah, I can do that.” I highly doubted it.
My eyes wandered to Kates, but when I couldn’t find her, Roane supplied, “She just took a guy out the back door. If you hurry, you can get there before my guys.”
I was forced to do what he bid so I shoved away from him and swept through the crowd. My body calmed a little as I moved further away, but it also grew cold. I hadn’t realized how I’d been cocooned by Roane… . I caught sight of the red exit sign and pushed past three vampires that stalked towards it. I hardened my jaw and vowed to do what I needed to do, but when I pushed out the back door I stopped dead in my tracks.
Kates was sharing a smoke with the vampire and laughing. I’d expected—not this. Before I co