Page 61 of Crimson Storm

“Um... yeah. She is. I also have a vampire mother, the woman who turned me. She’s the one who banished me.”

30

Mistaken Assumption

It was hard to say which made me more nervous, the prospect of seeing Imogen again—or seeing Reece.

“How is he?” I asked Kannon as we descended the multi-level staircase leading to the series of connecting caverns that made up the Bastion.

Taking a moment to observe the injured human in his arms, he responded, “He’s still breathing.”

“No—not him,” I said. “Though, yes, that’s good.”

Ishouldhave been asking about Shane. Instead my mind had been full of Reece.

While I’d been away, I’d missed many of the people who lived here, but Reece was the only one I’d thought of daily—hourly if I was being completely honest.

Though we hadn’t seen each other or spoken at all since I left, he’d been with me every single day, no matter where I was. I wasn’t sure if it was a vampire thing or something else, but he was always at the top of my mind.

That was why I’d never managed to move on, to develop any interest in any other guy—except for perhaps my budding friendship with Shane.

“Oh, you meanhimhim,” Kannon said. “Reece is Reece. As stubborn and surly as ever. He’s done well with the Bloodbound. Imogen’s very pleased with him.”

I’ll bet she is.

Acid curdled in my belly as unpleasant memories from my last day at the Bastion flooded my mind. Reece kneeling at Imogen’s side as she fondled his neck and shoulders and ran her fingers through his hair. The possessiveness in her touch. The subservient, defeated wayheacted.

I didn’t think I could stand to see a repeat performance. I’d have to seeher, of course, but maybe it would be better to steer clear of Reece altogether during my time here, however long that might be.

We entered the first cavern, and all heads turned in our direction. No doubt the smell of Shane’s flowing blood had gotten their attention. Several pairs of fangs emerged on the vampires closest to us. I was surprised no one licked their lips.

Kannon shot them intimidating glares, and they turned away. The crowd divided, stepping out of his path. I followed close behind as he led the way toward the medical clinic, holding Shane like a father protecting his toddler from vicious dogs.

This had been a mistake. Even if Dr. Coppa managed to heal Shane’s wounds, I wasn’t sure how I’d ever get him out of this place alive. We should have dropped him off at an airport earlier in our trip instead of keeping him with us this long.

It was my fault. I’d let myself get attached and make promises I wouldn’t be able to keep. First Josiah, then Reece, and now Shane.

Every guy who’d gotten involved with me had ended up hurt—or worse.

I reallywaslike my killer bee ancestors, like the queens who’d come before me.

Like Imogen.

We were in the tunnel leading to the medical clinic, nearly at its door, when the silhouette of an exceptionally tall man detached itself from the other shadows and blocked the corridor. I would have known him anywhere, even from his shape alone.

Reece.

My heart went into an instant frenzy, pumping my body full of adrenaline and sweltering heat.

Rather than providing fight-or-flight energy, it was paralyzing. I stopped in place, even as Kannon continued on toward him.

It was hard to look at Reece directly. Not only was I overcome with emotion, but his handsomeness was almost disorienting—like looking into an overly bright light that blinds you and leaves you seeing stars. It took everything I had just to keep breathing.

Had he actually gottenbetterlooking or had I just forgotten how beautiful he was? Impossibly he seemed to have grown even larger, towering over me, his shoulders nearly spanning the corridor.

With his black hair, black Bloodbound uniform, and dark, brooding expression, he looked like every human’s nightmare of a dangerous vampire male. But the sinful, full lips and turbulent violet eyes made him the stuff of another kind of dream—the kindIhad about him almost nightly.

Those eyes roamed over me, cataloguing my traditional Amish clothing, my hair, checking every limb as if searching for damage. They stopped and lingered on the blood staining my skirt.

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