Page 25 of Angel Of Darkness

Some blood could never be washed away.

Nicole bit him. His breathing deepened and his drumming heartbeat seemed to echo in her ears as she drank.

Strength filled her. Strength and need.

Lust.

She’d never physically wanted her other prey. She’d just taken a few sips from them and hadn’t indulged long enough to truly enjoy the taste of their blood.

Keenan was different.

She licked him and stole away the last few drops of blood. Their eyes held. There was no mistaking the raw desire on his face or in his eyes.

“I’m not a bounty hunter.”

She lowered his hand. “You’re with Night Watch.” Night Watch was the bounty hunting agency when it came to paranormals. The Night Watch agents were often Other, too. Who better to catch the supernaturals than the shifters with their enhanced senses? The witches with their magic?

And she’d already been warned once by a Night Watch agent. Dee Daniels had sent all the vamps a warning when she slayed Grim, the Born Master who’d been controlling them.

Cross the line and die.

“I know about Night Watch, but I don’t work for them.” His head cocked. “I don’t work for anyone.”

Now her heart raced too fast. “But you said?—”

“No, you said. And I was hunting at the time, so I guess that did make me a hunter.” His lips twisted. “Of sorts.”

“What were you hunting?” Her fast heartbeat seemed to shake her chest.

“You.”

She jumped off the bed. The sheet ripped, but she kept a hold on just enough fabric to cover her body.

“I’ve been chasing after you for a while now.”

“Chasing me. But not because you were hired to find me?”

He shook his head.

Where were her clothes? “Then why?”

“Because you’re the key.”

No, um, she was a vampire. Not some kind of shiny?—

“I lost something very, very important, and you can help me get it back.”

—magical—what?

He rose from the bed. The sheet dropped. Oh, damn, she looked. Very impressive.

Too bad he was crazy. “I’m not a key to anything.”

He walked around the bed and gave her a real nice view of his sculpted ass. Then he snagged a pair of jeans from the back of a chair. Well, that was probably for the best. He yanked up the jeans and kept stalking toward her. “Actually, I think you’re the key to everything.”

Her gaze searched his. “You’re wrong. I’m a schoolteacher. I-I?—”

“You were a teacher. Now you’re a vampire.” He shook his head and studied her a little too clinically. “I don’t know if that will make things easier or harder.”

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