Page 19 of Blood Illusions

I felt like I had to do the polite thing, even if he was an enemy. “Do you need a ride?” Not that I was even sure Damon would let a vampire grace his car. It was his baby.

He shook his head. “No, I have one.” He tilted his head.

The trees swayed in a gentle breeze, and I thought I heard something rustling the leaves. A brown-and-white pinto horse stepped out between two trunks.

I caught my breath as it stretched out majestic brown feathered wings.

I blinked twice and rubbed my eyes. “Is that a…”

I had to be tired. I was seeing things or losing my mind. Take your pick.

The corner of his lips turned up in amusement. “A pegasus. His name is Equinox. Usually, humans can’t see them, but I allowed you to.”

My brows furrowed. “Why would you let me see it?”

He turned and walked away, heading to the breathtaking creature. A hot vampire riding a pegasus? He had to be using glamour…or maybe even magic.

Beep-beep.

I jumped, my heart racing as Damon honked the horn.

The passenger door opened slightly, and Damon called, “What were you doing out there with Jaws?”

I climbed into the car and buckled my seatbelt before I looked at him. “Do you know he has a pegasus?”

He flashed me a you’re-off- your-rocker look as he started up the car. “You mean like the pegasus from Clash of the Titans?”

I still couldn’t believe what I’d seen. “Yeah, he was beautiful. His name is Equinox.”

“You know it was an illusion, don’t you? Pegasus doesn’t exist. Medusa doesn’t exist. Zeus doesn’t exist. What does exist is vampire glamour. He’s using glamour to seduce you. You know that, don’t you, Venus?”

I frowned. “Why are you calling me Venus?”

“Because you’re beautiful, sis, and he wants to add you to his list of sex slaves. You’re stronger than that. Don’t fall into his trap.”

He didn’t say it, but I heard it in his sincere voice. Don’t be like Mom.

I stared out the window, wondering if I was following in her footsteps.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Damon steered the car up the winding road to the Shadow Mine. It looked so much different than it had last night. The morning sunlight pierced the dense canopy of trees surrounding the mine, and the once-menacing entrance now appeared less daunting yet still unwelcoming.

Minutes passed as I peered out the window, studying the mine. The morning light revealed more of the mine’s aged details. The wooden frame, weathered and beaten by time, bore the scars of a long-forgotten history.

Unfortunately, I still couldn’t peer through the darkness of the mine. I drummed my fingers on my thigh, wondering if the horde of vampires were waiting to ambush us again.

“Moment of truth.” Damon turned off the ignition. “Time to see if Jaws is leading us into a shark frenzy.”

I didn’t answer him. He was right. Justice could be setting us up. Neither of us left the car as we studied the mine.

He glanced over at me. “Ready?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

I grabbed my dagger and a flashlight from the glove compartment. It would be a pixie stick to those things, but even Damon’s sword wouldn’t slow them down. Not when they were angry and hungry.

I opened the car door and got out, never taking my eyes off the mine entrance. In front of the mine were rusted tools haphazardly scattered as if left in a hurry. The skeletal remains of the old mine carts added to the creepy atmosphere.

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