Page 2 of Bullets and Blood
Nixon must know he couldn’t escape, no matter where he ran.Not only that, but he’d left his sister, the female heir and only hope for the Hadley bloodline, and that was never done.Someone else was tracking her down, and they’d had as much luck as him.He wanted to be first.
All Lance had to do was sight him and shoot him.Silver bullets didn’t kill, but they stopped a vampire from healing, and Nixon was a full vampire.Once Nixon was mortally wounded, Lance would drag him back to his aunt so Hadley could face the sun.
Job done.
The intelligence he’d been given said Hadley been turned at eighteen.For the men in the Hadley family, it was automatic.Lance wasn’t in the habit of envying his enemy, but in this case, he did just a tiny unflattering bit.
His aunt would disapprove, but he also had a measure of respect for Nixon even though he was the enemy.He’d led Lance on quite the chase.Laid false trails and everything.The man knew how to disappear.
Lance liked to think that he knew his enemy after studying him for so long.Nixon worked at a winery ensorcelling patrons and drinking their blood.No doubt he was also stealing from the owner.Or maybe he’d already set up some illegal gambling.The Hadley’s loved gambling.Had loved it, that is.His aunt had taken over those enterprises to add her to empire.
He breathed in, enjoying the sun on his skin, and looked forward to the day it burned.To when he no longer needed to buy food because the thought of eating it would be enough to turn his stomach.
His gaze landed on a man over the road.His shoulder length dark hair was slipping out of its elastic and brushing his cheek.Beneath his worn-out cap the man smiled before getting on his bike and disappearing around the corner, loose shirt fluttering around him.
Lance’s grin widened.Maybe he’d enjoy a little hunting for pleasure…once he’d put a bullet in Nixon.
ChapterThree
Nix laughedat the customer’s joke and poured the next wine in the range.Of course they weren’t going to spit the wine out.
It was only a taste.
Couldn’t get drunk on that.
Hahaha.
He’d heard it all before.They thought they were being so clever and funny.Still, they were easily suggestible.
“This merlot is very silky.”He lowered his voice as the man grinned at him.He was three sheets to the wind.How many wineries had he and his friend trawled?They were the kind who drove and figured they wouldn’t get caught.“Raspberry and chocolate on the tongue.”The man couldn’t look away now, and his expression relaxed.“You’re going to want a…” Fuck it, he’d go the whole way.He deserved a good sale from this lot.“A carton.”
The man drank the wine and nodded.“It is good.”
His friends skulled their wine without even tasting it.Heathens.They were trying to get drunk for free.
“Perhaps I could interest you in our restaurant.”That would keep them off the road for a bit.He kept the same melodic tone in his voice.“We serve beer from the local brewery as well as local wines.”
He had all their attention now.They should all buy something.That would make his sales figures even better this month.“Would you like to try the shiraz?”
They did.Now they were nodding like sheep as he let them to the slaughter pen.
“A couple of cartons split between four of you, and you all get some wine.Make a night of it or save some to take home to your wives.”All but two were married.One still had the tan line where his ring had sat.Perhaps this was a weekend away to soothe the sting of the divorce.“Or new girlfriends.”He switched his attention to Mr.Tanline.“Impress her with your wine knowledge.”
They drank their wines.Almost in synch.God, he was good.
“So, which two cartons would you like?”His smile widened, but his fangs stayed hidden flat against the roof of his mouth.
There was a brief discussion, and then they bought the shiraz and the dessert wine.Not what he would’ve picked, but he didn’t care as long as he got the sale.
He rang up the wine as another man walked in.Nix gave him a smile that became stuck as recognition caught in his mind.He’d seen this man before, but couldn’t place him.The calm he’d been exuding to nudge the patrons in the direction he wanted broke up.He glanced back at his customers.“If you could type in your pin?”
The man blinked as he started to think.“Um, yeah.”But he hesitated.
Nix needed to take control again.“You should have a meal before you get back on the road.You’ve had quite a bit of wine this morning.”He gave the man a wink like they’d shared all the gossip.“The steak is fabulous.”
Overcooked by his standards, but no one catered to his dietary requirements.He could eat all the gluten and meat he wanted, but vitamin C was his downfall like all vampires.Once turned, the body couldn’t process it.Another lesson he’d learned the painful way after eating a punnet of strawberries; if the intestinal upheaval wasn’t enough, watching his skin tear open into lesions had been the killing blow to his love of all things berry.
The man typed in his pin and nodded.“Steak sounds great.Thanks, mate.”
