Page 38 of Blood Illusions

Damon winked at me. “Grab some Z’s, sis.”

“After that thing got in my room, I’m not sure I feel safe in there, even with the salt.”

“You can sleep in the library.” Justice winked. “I’ll even put my salt around it. That way, you’ll be safe.”

Damon had dark circles under his bloodshot eyes.

I gave him a smile. “You need to get some rest, too.”

Damon flashed Justice a cold stare. “No, I’m fine. Someone’s got to make sure that Dracula doesn’t feed on us.”

Justice stiffened and sat taller in his chair. “I don’t feed on humans. When are you going to trust me?”

Damon shrugged. “Probably about the time hell gets a snowstorm. But hey, stranger things have happened.”

Several blankets were draped over a quilt rack in the corner of the library. I grabbed the first soft fleece blanket and wrapped it around me like a shawl. It warmed me like a cocoon, and my eyes grew heavier. I finally got my wish as I curled into a ball on the couch under the picture window.

One of them said something, but I didn’t hear them as I fell fast asleep.

Someone gently shook my shoulder. “Sawyer. Sawyer,” a soft, masculine voice urged.

I groaned, not wanting to get up. I yawned and blinked my weary eyes, forcing myself to wake. “What?” I clutched the soft blanket and held it to my throat as if I was afraid he’d bite my throat.

The only light came from a tall lamp that made his face look even more handsome.

Justice sat on the edge of the couch. “The vampires…” He tilted his head toward the window. “They’re gone.”

I scooted up from the couch. “What? They are? How do you know?”

“After you and Sleeping Beauty dozed off, I kept watch from the living room window. One by one, they disappeared.”

My brows furrowed at his words. “Sleeping Beauty?”

At that moment, soft snoring filled the air. Damon slumbered deeply in a nearby chair. His chin rested on his chest, and his sword was still clutched firmly in his hands.

I smiled as I pulled the blanket tighter. “How long has he been asleep?”

“He fell asleep about an hour after you. You’ve both been out for about five hours.”

I turned on the couch, got onto my knees, and peered out the window. Moonlight illuminated the dense woods below, and I made out a glint of metal from the Fairlane. There was no sign of movement near the house or the car. “When did the creatures leave?”

“About an hour ago. I didn’t want to wake you until I made sure they were really gone.”

I glanced over my shoulder, curiosity tugging at me. “What did you do?”

He frowned. “I went outside and searched the grounds. No sign of them. There weren’t any tracks, but I did find something unusual.” A hint of surprise echoed in his voice.

A chill rolled over me at his words. Still clutching my blanket, I headed over to Damon. He should hear this, too. “What did you find?”

“It’s odd.” His brow furrowed. “There was a faint scent in the air, like the smell of an electric charge mixed with a subtle hint of jasmine. Not something you’d typically find around here, especially in the wilderness. And there was this unusual frost covering the ground where the creatures were trying to break into the house.”

He chewed on his cheek. “I’m a vampire, and I’ve never encountered anything like this. It’s not a trace that vampires, or any typical supernatural beings, would leave behind.”

I shook Damon’s shoulder tenderly, wishing I didn’t have to wake him. “Damon, wake up. You should hear this, too.”

He jolted upright, his gaze darting around the room as he clutched the hilt of his sword. “What?”

I suppressed a yawn, my hand flying to my mouth. “It’s okay, bro. The vamps are gone.”

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