Her eyes locked on a man. Black hair. Broad shoulders. Tall, strong. Don’t-give-a-damn swagger.
Chase.
Her breath eased out.
The man was double-timing it to the exit.
Running from her?
Or chasing something? Someone?
“Hold the beer.” She shoved away from the bar. “Be back in five.” The exit door had already swung shut, but Dee rushed forward. If there was a hunt, she’d be in on the action. And if there wasn’t…
Well, she had a few things to say to Mr. More Than A Fuck.
Her fingers clamped around the door knob. Just in case, she went out silently, armed, ready.
But no one was there. Just an empty back lot.
What the hell?
“You did well.” The vampire stared into the human female’s eyes, enjoying the soft ebb and flow of her blood. Her heart raced as he crossed to her. With every step, the blood flowed faster.
She smiled at him. “She was right where you said she’d be. All alone.” A quick swipe of her tongue across those ripe red lips. “I-I could have killed her for you. I would have.”
Such an eager little helper. “I know.” He trailed his fingertip down her cheek. Lisa. He didn’t remember her last name. Didn’t care.
“I’d do anything for you,” she whispered and her eyes were so wide and blue. “Anything.”
Because she wanted to live forever. Because Lisa, with her thin thighs and her big breasts and her perfect face, was aging. Slowly. One faint line at a time.
“I’m not afraid to kill.” Her chin lifted even as she swayed toward him.
His fangs lengthened. He’d love to have one more taste of her. Fresh blood was always the best. “No, you’ve proven that.” She’d brought prey to him that very first night. His fingers trailed down her throat and curled over that frantic pulse. “But are you afraid to die?”
Hope lit her eyes. “You’re going to do it? You’re going to change me?” Her smile stretched her face. “I’m not afraid, I want—”
“Good.” Then he lifted the weapon he’d kept hidden and stabbed her. Right in that laboring heart.
She choked at first, probably on her own blood because he saw the trickle of red slide from the corner of her mouth. Those wide eyes filled with pain and shock because this wasn’t the death she’d expected.
Because he hated for all that good blood to go to waste, he bent toward her, and licked those sweet drops away from her lips.
Then he let her body fall.
Time to get the other bitch.
Now this was just…weird. Dee shoved the stake back into her ankle holster. She tilted her head, straining to pick up some sound to indicate movement, but she just caught the muted beat of music.
“Chase?”
Maybe he’d circled back around to the front of the building. Possible. But that fast?
Her gaze darted to the row of cars nestled on the left. She didn’t see anyone over there, but…
Dee stalked to the vehicles, aware of a growing tension in her body. Last night, a woman had told her she’d die here.
Being back now, okay, that would make anyone nervous.
Narrowing her eyes, she caught sight of a small, red vehicle. Wait—that was—
A rush of wind behind her.
Oh, damn. Dee froze. She didn’t need to look back to know she wasn’t alone anymore. “I was wondering when you’d show up,” she muttered. Her fingers were just a few inches away from her gun holster. So if she was right and a vamp had just closed in on her—damn but they were almost as quiet as shifters these days—then a gunshot wouldn’t kill him.
But it would still hurt. A lot. And it would give her the precious minutes she needed to stake the asshole.
“I have been watching you,” he said, his voice clipping a bit with an English accent.
“Have you?” She turned, slowly, to face the vampire. Her fingers brushed the holster. “And I’ve been waiting on you.” Dee shook her head. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s wrong to make a woman wait?”
His fangs were out. Long and sharp. As she watched, his blue eyes faded to black. Great. Dee swallowed. A vamp in full hunting mode.
“I’m not here to play with you.” That black stare raked her.
“Oh?” This was it. “Then I guess we better skip the fore-play, huh?” No way to tell if this was the Born Master or one of his minions because the Borns, they always had freaking minions. “Maybe we should just get around to the death part.” Dee jerked out her gun and fired, six times, dead center in his chest.
Flesh and bone torn away, blood splattered around them. Dee stood so close that the bastard’s blood rained on her.