Page 37 of Incandescence

She shrugged. “Before mom got addicted to drugs and moved into town to feed her addiction, we lived on a farm and often hunted for our meat.”

I stored away yet another little tidbit of information about her, even as I moved forward and fingered one of the many sharp arrows. “Looks like cedar,” I murmured. The so-called nutty doctor had been prepared for all eventualities.

Her eyes glowed. “So all the stories are true, then? A wooden stake through the heart will kill a vampire?”

I only wished I knew for sure. “The vampire never told me his weakness. He wasn’t that stupid. All I know for certain is his vulnerability to sunlight and his need for a certain human blood type.”

“Ourblood type.” Her voice cracked at the reminder, her face more subdued. Then she blew out a slow breath, wisps of dark hair lifting off her face. She swung a hand toward the door. “At least the doctor covered all bases.”

I turned and took in the bunch of garlic hanging above the door, then eyed the bundle of stakes stacked in the corner of the room. “The good doctor told us he knew little to nothing about vampires except in fairytales, so I’m guessing he built this room in the hopes that some of the myths were true and a vampire could be killed.”

She stepped toward me and I pulled her into my arms even as she said, “All that’s missing is the holy water.”

I kissed the top of her head, my heart shifting with emotion. “I won’t let the vampire take you. Not for anything.”

She lifted her head. “I won’t let him take you either.” She bit her bottom lip. “I can’t imagine a future without you in it.”

I cupped her face, my pulse thumping like a drum in my ears and my heart melting at her words. “I feel the same way,” I whispered.

Chapter Eighteen

Alexander

We kissed then, a desperatemating of tongues and clashing of teeth. At the back of our minds we knew if the vampire came for us tonight, this might be our last time together.

We tore off each other’s clothes.

No matter how much we wished otherwise, and fought to stay free, there was a good chance the vampire would still take us, or kill us. A good chance our lives would again change once the day gave way to night.

I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my hips. In two strides I had her against the wall. Her breasts quivered with her little gasping breaths, her nipples tight with arousal.

She looked up at me with bright green eyes and her dark hair drifting out of its ponytail. I swallowed hard. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

She didn’t seem to want to talk and I wasn’t in the mood for a one-sided conversation.

Anyconversation.

---