Page 65 of Top Secret Vampire

“Why?” I snarled.

“I imagine you’d love an answer. All I’ll say is that with you out of the way, the path will be clear for me.”

“For what?”

“For Wolfram’s delightful vampire bite, of course.” She stroked her neck. “Immortality will soon be mine.”

Chapter 30

Wolfram

Iwoke to find Reese gone and lay under the covers, pretending I was still asleep. She’d teased me one too many times about how deep a vampire slept. This time, when she returned to bed, I’d be waiting to pounce. I’d soon show my pretty little mate the error of her teasing ways.

But after waiting a bit, she didn’t come out of the bathroom.

Rising, I listened and didn’t hear her inside the suite. Had she gone to the kitchen for a late-night snack? She never had before, but there was always a first time.

That’s when a bang rang out from the first floor.

I mistified to the foyer and was drawn across the open space to Reese’s office, arriving in time to hear Charmaine tell Reese that she was going to erase Reese’s memory back to when she’d lived in New York, that she’d plant a suggestion that Reese wanted to live there more than anything. Reese would leave me and sell her house, and Charmaine would step in to “cure” my wounded heart.

With a flick of my wrist, the magical bindings holding Reese shattered. I advanced into the room and tugged her behind me, snarling at Charmaine. My claws snapped out at the ends of myfingers and my fangs descended. My growl ripped up my throat. “You dare threaten my true mate?” Power surged through my voice, freezing Charmaine in place.

Fear shot through her eyes. “True mate?” She gaped at Reese. “I would never harm a vampire's mate. I only wanted—”

“Silence! You wanted immortality? You thought by eliminating Reese, I'd turn to you?” A dark laugh escaped me. “You're delusional if you believe I'd ever bite you or turn you into a vampire. There will be no immortality for you,witch.”

Desperation clawed across her face. “But Wolfram, please—”

I closed my eyes and summoned my witch friend. She appeared in a swirl of smoke, her floor-length, deep blue cloak hiding her body and features.

“Charmaine has been using magic to harass and manipulate Reese—my true mate,” I told my friend. “She impersonated Reese, framing her for a crime she didn't commit. She slashed her tires, hacked into Reese’s social media accounts to sabotage her career. Sent a seagull to attack her. That’s the one thing that confuses me. Reese came to Monsters, PI after the seagull and mirror incidents. How are they connected?”

“You were supposed to fall forme. The blender, the seagull, and the writing were just me having fun with Reese.” Charmaine lifted her chin. “But then my mother had to ruin my plan by telling Reese’s mom about Monsters, PI. Once I saw you were with her, I had to heat things up to drive her away.”

Clever. I should’ve asked Reese’s mother again where she’d heard of Monsters, PI. “What else were you planning?”

“Whatever it took.” She didn’t sound a bit remorseful.

“I’m sure there are other things we haven’t yet discovered,” I said.

“Jewelry box.” Reese pointed to her desk.

“Where?” I growled at Charmaine.

“The jewelry store one town away. Marcelle’s.”

I’d make sure it was returned before it was noted missing.

“To top it off,” I said to my friend, “Charmaine was going to wipe Reese’s memory and compel her to move away. All in the hope that I’d give her the bite of the undead.”

The witch nodded, the hem of her cloak shifting as she stalked toward Charmaine. The air grew thicker around them, swirling with power.

Charmaine let out a muffled scream, quaking as she watched the witch approach. The witch reached out, a pulse of energy spiraling from her palm, encircling Charmaine like a snake winding around its prey. A flick of her hand, and they both disappeared in a second puff of smoke. Charmaine's panicked shriek cut off and the room returned to silence.

“Where did your friend take Charmaine?” Reese asked, creeping closer to wrap her arm around me from behind.

Spinning, I roamed my hands over her, checking for injuries. “Are you hurt? Did she harm you in any way?”

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