“I don't see how my blood is different from anyone else’s. Maybe what you’re trying to do with the Opal is just a fantasy, a waste of time.”
“You don’t know, then?”
“Know what? That you’re an idiot for trying something like this?” There was no way she would ever let him have her blood.
“You don’t know about your ancestors? Though, I suppose that's why you’re attracted to him. Maybe part of you remembers.”
Everything in her started to vibrate. Her ancestors? What…” Drawing a breath, she pressed for more. “Remembers what?”
“I know what you’re doing, having a little fishing expedition.” But he laughed again. “It's too delicious. I can't tell you right now. No, I’m going to have fun making you guess.”
“I’m not playing that game.”
“You will, if you want to find out.”
“Whatever it is, my life has been just fine without knowing it,” she said. “The knowledge means nothing to me.”
“Ignorance is bliss. But you’re not so ignorant anymore.”
She closed her eyes, summoning inner strength. His words had planted a seed in her mind, and it grew with every passing second.
What secret about her ancestors could possibly be relevant to her now? Her parents had never mentioned any unusual ancestry, and her grandparents seemed as normal as anyone else in her younger years.
Or maybe it was something else. Then again, he could be fucking with her. “You’re lying. You want me to want you.”
“Nope.”
Tamaska shifted her body weight and pushed up onto her elbows. This time, she made it into a kneeling position.
“Getting brave, aren't we?” Amdis asked, pacing a little.
Her dizziness had subsided enough to give Tamaska the courage to try and escape. All she needed to do was get to her feet, and race out the door. Push through the pain. And run like hell. Take the stairs and not the lift.
She mentally rehearsed the plan. Thank goodness she’d parked the car nearby.
Let’s do this.
She moved to get up.
“You’ve forgotten something,” said Amdis.
She froze at his tone, then looked in his direction. Emptiness filled her. The strip of sunlight in front of her was almost gone.
She’d waited too long.
Fuck. Her muscles tensed as she readied to run, anyway.
Then, the door flew open. A wolf bounded in, growling and snapping its teeth. And her heart sang.
In wolf form, Kodiak crossed the room so fast that he was a blur of fur. He launched himself at Amdis, swiping at the vampire’s chest with one deadly paw, his claws sharp.
The vampire ducked and slipped out of the way at the last minute, super fast.
And she thought she’d have been able to outrun Amdis.
The wolf growled, an angry vibration that raised the hairs on the back of Tamaska’s neck.
Kodiak rushed after the vampire. Keeping himself between it and her. He stayed close behind it, snapping at it and narrowly missing each time.