Page 11 of Crimson Bond

How much had she told him? Was it enough to eliminate him for “security reasons?”

No.He was supposed to be Imogen’s insurance of Abbi’s cooperation on the mission. And Abbi would probably hate me forever if I eviscerated her “friend.”

The momentary satisfaction might be worth it, though.

“We’re in the vampire place?” the guy asked. “It looks like a hospital room... without windows.”

“It’s a medical clinic. They treated you last night. They’re going to make sure you heal properly and keep you safe until I get back,” Abbi said.

At which point, I will make it mynextmission to get rid of you, Shane old boy.

“Where are you going?” Shane asked, looking like a kid who’d lost his favorite toy.

“I have to leave for a while. I’ll be back soon, I promise.” Her tone held such warmth I had to fight down another growl.

The human sat up in bed, touching the area of his healed wound. “It doesn’t hurt at all.”

Obviously Dr. Coppa had treated him with vampire blood. Unless Abbi had given himhers.

If that was the case, he was about to need another infusion—a big one. I started toward the bed but stopped short as the stupid human lifted his shirt, showing off his abdominal muscles.

Ha.His physique was nothing compared to that of a vampire male’s. To mine.

And yet Abbi had chosen him.

I missed the next part of their conversation. My mind was too occupied with fantasies of bloodshed. I tuned back in as Shane took Abbi’s hand inside his.Myhand moved to my dagger belt.

“I’d never do anything to endanger you,” he said in a sappy voice. “You know that.”

I snorted in disgust, and Abbi pulled her hand away from him, letting it drop to her side. “I know. And I’ll make sure you stay safe, too. That’s why I have to leave. I have to go and talk to Sadie.”

The human got out of bed. “Great. I’ll go with you. When do we leave?”

So he knew about Sadie too? He and Abbi must have spent considerable time together if he knew all the players in the vampire world. Either that or they’d gotten very close very quickly.

Neither possibility made me happy.

Abbi pushed the little upstart back to the bed. Not hard enough in my opinion.

“You can’t,” she said. “And you shouldn’t get up yet. Wait for Dr. Coppa to clear you. You can trust him, by the way. He won’t hurt you. He’ll keep an eye on you until I return.”

Finally Shane seemed to notice my presence. He turned my direction and scanned me up and down, taking in the uniform and the weapon at my side.

That’s right buddy. You’re goingnowherewith her. And I am.

“They won’tletme go with you, will they? Am I... I’m a prisoner.”

Abbi apologized, and I moved toward them again as he grabbed both her hands. “You could have turned me. You still could. Then I could come with you. I could help you if you turn me.”

She said, “No,” before I had a chance to.

“Why not?” he whined. “Think about it. It would besaferfor me. I’d be like you—and my parents. And they’d have no reason to keep me prisoner here. I’d be free.”

Abbi shook her head. “Shane... if I turn you... you’llneverbe free. You don’t know what it’s like. You would regret your decision.”

“Not if I got to stay with you. And it would solve that whole I-can’t-date-a-human-guy problem.”

I let out another loud snort. This guy was pathetic. There was no way she was romantically involved with him. In fact, she’d apparently given him a lame excuse.

---