Page 38 of Crimson Storm

Shane nodded thoughtfully. “Well, when you’re ready to move on, you’ll have no shortage of opportunity I’m sure. You’re a beautiful girl. Any guy—vampire or human—would be lucky to have you.”

A tingly sense of pleasure mixed with hot embarrassment. For one thing, I wasn’t used to receiving compliments. For another, he was completely wrong.

“Thank you. I’d never date a human though.”

His brow creased. “I didn’t peg you for a human hater.”

“No. Not at all. I’m not. It’s just... not safe.”

How could I explain to him the temptation produced by the smell of his blood? Or the terror I felt whenever I thought about the possibility of inadvertently hurting someone I loved? It had kept me away from my birth family and humans in general.

One slip-up could mean death for them. And what had happened to Josiah and his family was always with me.

I couldn’t risk it happening again to another guy I cared for or called a friend.

Suddenly hyper-aware of his heartbeat, I scooted farther from Shane.

He must have sensed my discomfort because he said, “It’s okay, you don’t owe me any explanations. I mean, in a couple of days, we’ll never see each other again, right?”

I nodded, speaking quietly. “Right. You can drop us off and get back to your life.”

“Yes. My wonderful life,” he quipped.

“I’m sorry about all this,” I said. “Forcing you to come with us, the handcuffs.”

“Yeah, I could have lived without those for sure. They rubbed my wrists raw.”

He held his arms out to me, and I looked down at his wrists. Sure enough, the flesh there was reddened and abraded. A couple of spots were even bleeding.

Oh God.

Fierce thirst hit my throat like wildfire. The truck stop hadn’t sold blood bags, and I’d had nothing to drink since that defrosted blood bag at Larkin’s apartment yesterday.

My fangs did their irritating involuntary response thing, sliding from my gums and pushing past my lips. My stomach growled loudly.

Instead of cowering in fear or looking horrified, Shane actually laughed. “Oh, sorry. I guess I shouldn’t have dangled chum in front of the shark. You must be thirsty.”

I nodded. “It’s okay. I am, but you’re not in danger. I got used to being thirsty in the Safety Center. Feedings were once daily, and the rations were small. I can go for a while without blood when I have to.”

He glanced over at my sleeping friends. “What about them?”

“I’m sure they’re thirsty too. Maybe when we get to Nebraska we’ll start seeing some signs along the highway for vampire-friendly exits. We can get off at one and buy some blood bags.”

“Yeah, I think I saw a billboard a little while ago about a place that had them at one of the next few exits,” he said.

“Good. That’s perfect.” I yawned loudly.

He chuckled. “Am I boring you?”

“No. I’m sorry. It’s really hard for us to stay awake when the sun is up. We can do it in an emergency, but when there’s no threat or reason to stay awake, it’s tough.”

“No, I understand. I remember Marjorie being like that. I was just kidding. You can go ahead and sleep you know. I’m not going to try to bolt.”

“I know that. I do need to wake one of them to take a shift though before I doze off. Not for my sake—I believe you—but it’ll make them feel safer.”

“Sure,” he said, sounding displeased despite his words of agreement. “I understand.”

I woke Heather for her shift then slumped into a dreamless sleep, resting deeply in spite of the crowded conditions in the truck’s rear cabin.

---