“Told Brian it wasn’t safe. Told him to leave.”
Brian. Ian’s twin. Addicted to crack and eaten away by cancer.
“But then I felt the fire start, and I had to go to him. I knew—I knew he hadn’t left.”
He’d walked into the flames for his brother. Faced death.
And still Brian had been taken by the flames.
But Ian hadn’t died. Not fully.
“I saw Death that night.” He turned away, so that only the perfect side of his face remained. “I see him now. He’s with you. Standing so close.”
This wasn’t the tip she’d wanted.
His lips rose in a humorless curl. “Don’t worry, Sandra Dee. You won’t be alone. I’ll be right there with you. Every minute.”
She rocked back. Shook her head. “I’m not dying tonight.”
But that lop-sided smile didn’t fade. “We both are,” he whispered. “I dreamed about us last night. Sweet, beautiful dreams full of blood and screams.”
A scream pierced the thick silence of the night, and Dee ran for the alley, Simon’s name on her lips.
I’m not dying tonight.
Simon grabbed the vamp and threw him against the wall. The scent of blood flooded his nostrils and the hunger he’d tried so hard to fight bubbled to the surface.
Weak. Just need to feed once more.
No! Dee was too close.
He spared the screaming woman a glance. Blood trickled down her throat. “Get the hell out of here,” he snarled. If the woman had sense, she would already be running.
He opened his mouth and bared his own fangs. “Get. Out.”
But at the sight, the redhead just screamed louder.
And another vampire jumped him.
Dee ran fast, her heart slamming into her ribs. She caught sight of Simon, fighting with another man, both of them spinning and thrashing on the ground as—
Simon’s attacker opened his mouth and sank his fangs into Simon’s shoulder.
“No!” The scream burst from her.
Simon threw the vampire off him, sending the guy hurtling a good ten feet into the air. What—how in hell had he done that?
Some woman was screaming in a continuous howl, the sound piercing Dee’s ears as the chick huddled near a Dumpster.
The vamp rose. “You think you can attack me? Chase, I’ll fucking cut your heart out, you don’t be—”
Simon ran straight for him. Tackled the bastard. “You won’t do a damn thing to me!”
And then he sank his teeth into the vampire’s throat.
Sank his fangs into the vampire’s throat.
Dee froze, every muscle in her body hardening. No, please, Christ, no, this couldn’t be happening.
The screaming snapped off, the silence rough and jolting. Dee wrenched out her stake. Realized her palms were soaked with sweat when she nearly lost her weapon. “Simon?”
He dropped the vampire and whirled toward her. Blood dripped from his mouth.
She’d wondered if he were fully human. Thought perhaps he might be a hybrid. Or a demon. Maybe a shifter.
In the end, she’d been leaning toward him being a charmer, like Pak.
But she’d never thought he was a vampire.
Not a vamp. Not him.
He licked his lips. Licking the blood away.
“You’re a fucking vampire.” What had Ian said? Shit, stupid, he’d said—He’s with you, Dee. Standing so close.
Simon had been with her from the beginning, sneaking under her skin. Getting too close.
The perfect setup.
She’d trusted him. Vampire. No, no—
“Easy.” Simon held up his hands. “I’m on your side, Dee.”
No, he wasn’t. He knew the vamp he’d just attacked. “You’ve been setting me up.”
“No. I swear, I’ve been trying to help you.”
Cigarettes and old smoke burned her nose. Ian had come to join the party. “It’s time,” he called out and Dee didn’t glance his way. Fucking crazy Ian. He’d been insane since he and Brian shot up on that bad batch years ago and—
“It’s time, bitch,” another voice growled and Dee’s gaze shot to her left. The woman—the one in the skin-tight dress and the spike heels, the woman with blood soaking her neck and a weird, trembling smile on her lips—that crazy chick lunged at her.
And sank a knife into Dee’s chest.
“No!”
Dee’s knees gave way and she hit the ground, hard. The bloodstained bitch stared down at her, that stupid grin still on her face. “They said you wouldn’t fear me. What? Didn’t you think a human could kill, too?”
Dee’s fingers fumbled with the hilt of the knife. Fire pulsed from her heart.
Her heart…slowing, slowing…
“Dee!” Simon shoved the bitch out of the way. He grabbed Dee’s shoulders, his fingers biting into her flesh. “Oh, shit, babe, hold on!”