Page 62 of Bound By Blood

“That was different. You’ll see.” He squeezed her hand again. “Are you game?”

“No, I’m the hunter.”

He laughed. “Great. Let’s go.”

Still uncertain she was doing the right thing, she trailed behind him as he moved through the meadow, as silent as smoke. She had expected him to head for the houses clustered in the valley, but he glided past them and moved on.

It took her a moment to realize he was headed for the small town located a few miles away.

“Open your senses, Katy. Feel the darkness around you. Let it become a part of you. Smell the trees, the grass. Listen to the heartbeat of the night. Do you hear that? There’s an animal in the brush just to your left. Can you hear its heartbeat?”

Katy did as he said, surprised at how different the world was when she concentrated on using her vampire senses. Her preternatural power was something she had never fully tapped into, preferring to think of herself as human.

It was as if someone had removed blinders from her eyes and unstopped her ears. The world was alive with sounds and sights and smells she had never truly appreciated until now. Everything seemed brighter, more alive. She saw things more clearly—each individual leaf on the trees in front of her, each blade of grass beneath her feet, each rock, the cricket chirping on top of the rock. Even the air seemed to smell different, fragrant with the scent of foliage and earth and meadow. Why had she suppressed this side of herself for so long? Why hadn’t her father told her it could be like this?

Lost in thought, she was surprised to see the town ahead. Only then did she realize how fast Zack had been moving, and how easily she had kept up with him.

“Close your eyes and concentrate,” he said, slowing to a stop. “What do you hear?”

She frowned at him, but did as he asked. “I hear a dog barking. A man snoring. A baby crying. Music coming from down the street …” She licked her lips. “Hearts beating,” she murmured, and felt her own speed up with anticipation. Why had she never noticed before how seductive that sound was? The scent of fresh blood moving through veins and arteries, the rhythmic beating of hearts, jolted through her like electricity.

Opening her eyes, she stared at Zack.

He grinned at her, as if he knew exactly what she was feeling. And maybe he did.

“Come on.” Taking her by the hand, Zack led her down the dark streets. With each step she took, the steady thrumming grew louder, stronger.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“There’s an after-hours nightclub on the next block. Easy pickings.”

They were passing by an alley when Zack came to an abrupt halt.

“What is it?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Hear that?”

She cocked her head to the side. “Someone’s crying in the alley.”

Zack nodded. “It’s a woman.”

“We’ve got to help her,” Kaitlyn said.

Before he could stop her, Kaitlyn darted into the passage.

With a shake of his head, Zack followed her.

The woman was curled up in a ball in front of two Dumpsters about halfway down the alley. Judging from the smell, neither Dumpster had been emptied lately.

Kaitlyn hurried toward the woman. “Are you all right?” she asked, kneeling beside her.

“He beat me up,” the woman sobbed.

Kaitlyn looked up at Zack. “We have to do something.”

“Yeah.” Zack darted forward, one hand closing around the throat of the man who had stepped out of the shadows behind the nearest Dumpster, his other hand plucking the gun from the man’s fist.

The woman sprang to her feet and took off running.

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