Étienne peeled her coat back and bent to check the wound at her waist. “What do you see? Any humans?”
“I see a guy driving past in a truck. A couple back near the frat—Jeeze! I think they’re having sex! Euw! In the bushes? Who does that?”
Was that a laugh?
She opened her left eye and checked.
Yes, she had wrung a smile from him. Good.
She grunted when he prodded the cut. “That hurts, you know.”
“It needs stitches.”
“No, it doesn’t. Just get me home. Sean will take care of it.”
“Keep looking,” he instructed and turned his attention to her thigh. “Good. They missed the artery.”
She squinted through the scope again. “Yeah. What is it with vampires and hamstrings?”
“They’re like lions trying to bring down a gazelle. They think to hobble you, then move in for the kill.”
“Bastards.”
“Yes.”
She turned in a complete circle, eliciting more French swear words from Étienne, who was still trying to examine her wounds. “I’m not seeing anything. I don’t think they came tonight.”
He waited for her to settle, then checked out her hip. “This one needs stitches, too.”
“Quit complaining.”
He straightened and took the scope from her. “I’m not complaining. I’m expressing concern.”
“Well, you’re harshing my mellow. We defeated five vampires tonight. That’s something to celebrate.”
He raised the scope to his right eye and turned in a circle. “I think if they were here they would have come out of hiding by now.”
“They certainly didn’t dawdle the last time we encountered them.”
“Wait here a moment. If you see anything, think a warning and I’ll hear it.”
“Where are you—?”
He vanished. Or moved so swiftly he seemed to. But his aura helped her trace his movements as he returned to the area in which they had fought.
Krysta raised the scope to her eye and looked around. No mercenaries.
Ooh. His aura looked really freaky through the scope as it streaked back toward her.
“Okay,” he said, stopping before her. “Let’s call it a night.”
“What did you do?”
“Confiscated the vampires’ weapons and tossed their clothing into the Dumpster.”
“Oh.”
“Let’s head for the car.”
She halted him when he bent to lift her into his arms. “I can walk, Étienne. Really. The wounds aren’t that bad.”
Brushing her hands aside, he lifted her into his arms anyway. “This is faster. And, if it will soothe your ego, you can tell yourself that I’m not doing this because I think your injuries have weakened you. I’m doing it because I was looking for an excuse to hold you.”
“I can do that,” she said, looping her arms around his neck. “Which one is it?”
“I’ll let you decide.”
“So, we’re really going to do this?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“Hunt together?”
“That’s the plan. At least for the time being.”
Good. They made a great team. And the more time she spent with Étienne, the more time she wanted to spend with him.
Krysta combed her fingers through his thick locks. “Your hair is so soft.”
He smiled as the world blurred.
Chapter 12
David reclined in his comfy chair, his feet propped on the edge of his desk, as he devoured the latest Stephen King novel.
Seth lounged in a chair on the other side of the desk, his large boots also gracing the scarred wooden surface as he studied his cell phone.
Outside, the sun was high in the sky, its rays filtering in and brightening the room naturally.
The house was quiet, save the occasional snore. Marcus and Ami were fast asleep. Bastien and Melanie were, too, having opted yet again to spend the day at David’s so Melanie could be near Ami.#p#分页标题#e#
Roland and Sarah had surprised them all by choosing to spend the day there as well. Seth thought Roland was beginning to pick up on Marcus’s tension. Roland may be antisocial, but he was fiercely loyal. And Marcus had been a good friend to him over the centuries.
Even Darnell slumbered.
Seth and David should be getting some rest as well. So many needed their help on a nightly basis that both often went days without sleep. But, when one’s sense of hearing was as acute as theirs, quiet was hard to come by and could often only be found during times like this.
“I think our secret is out,” Seth murmured.
David grunted and kept reading. A moment later he turned the page. “Which one?”
“I keep getting messages from immortals wanting to know why there are so many gifted ones in this area.”