Rage. Hate. Vengeance. Her life. Those she understood.
Love? That scared her. Love led to pain. She’d had enough pain.
But when Simon had said he loved her…
Her heart had stopped. Her breath had died.
Dee didn’t know what she felt for him. She wanted him, needed him, and if anyone tried to hurt him, she’d kick some ass.
Love—what was it, really?
Spending forever with someone? She glanced at Simon. All she could see was his strong, stiff back.
Her hands still trembled so she balled them into fists. Not now. This wasn’t the time.
But things weren’t going to end like this.
Forever? Dee exhaled. Marriage and a picket fence had never been for her, she knew that, even before her change. Her life was too hard. She was too hard for someone to love.
No, Simon said he loves me.
She turned away and gave him a few minutes to dress. And she gave herself some time to get herself together. Seriously, she had to get a grip.
When he was done, she schooled her features, and they marched to the door. With a jerk of her wrist, she opened the door. Zane waited for her, his hands crossed over his chest. The paleness that had drawn his features before—because of the blood he’d lost—was gone.
His hooded gaze raked her. “You sure you’re up for this?”
Of course not. But there were only two options: Kill or die. Dee cleared her throat, then asked, “Are you?” She’d tried to ditch him once, and, in typical Zane style, he’d come through to save her butt.
She didn’t want to risk him, but knew there was no way he’d let her get in another sucker punch.
“I’m your backup, baby.”
A snarl sounded behind her and one black brow rose. “Guess lover boy’s awake, huh?” Zane asked.
The floor creaked. “Yeah, he is.” Simon came to her side. She glanced back and forth between the two men. Simon’s jaw worked and then he managed, “Thank you.”
A crooked smile twisted Zane’s lips. “Hard, wasn’t it?”
“Fuck yeah.”
“You sound just like Dee.” The smile vanished. “Giving you my blood was harder.”
A grim nod. “I won’t forget.”
“I won’t let you.” A pause. “And believe me, I call in my debts.”
Yes, he did.
Zane’s gaze turned back to Dee. “What are our odds?”
She forced a shrug. “I figure about forty-sixty.”
A low whistle. “That sucks.”
Dead right. Dee squared her shoulders. “Let’s do this.” Before more vamps came hunting for her. She didn’t want to be caught off-guard again. Three recent, brutal attacks. When Grim wanted you dead, the guy just didn’t stop. Now that she was Born, he was desperate to stop that “prophecy” from coming true.
Grim didn’t fuck around.
He was about to learn that neither did she.
Chapter 15
He’d pay his debt to the demon, one way or another. Simon stalked across the barren earth, keeping his head low as he followed the male shifter to Grim’s lair.
Jude Donovan moved easily over the rough terrain, never taking a misstep, and his woman, the deceptively delicate ADA Erin Jerome, kept perfect pace with him. Another shifter. The guy’s mate.
Simon didn’t know much about her, other than that she worked in the Baton Rouge prosecutor’s office and that the tiger was very, very possessive of her.
She hadn’t given him blood, something else he knew. Probably because the tiger wouldn’t allow her to link with a male vampire.
“This is it,” Jude’s nearly soundless voice had the group pausing.
Simon glanced over at Dee. Heavily armed, eyes shining in the darkness, she was one fine sight to behold.
“You sure about this?” Erin asked, casting a quick glance at the ramshackle buildings that waited in the distance. They couldn’t get much closer or the vamps would catch the distinct scent of the shifters. They’d have to hang back for now, with the demon. “Just walking right up to him, um, that doesn’t seem like the best plan.”
“No, it’s not the best plan. But it’s all we’ve got now.” Dee’s eyes narrowed on the line of buildings. “How many, Jude?”
His head cocked. “Ten vamps. Two humans, but—” His nose twitched. “Somebody’s dying in there.”
Simon stiffened. Of course, Grim would be having one of his parties.
“Nina?” Dee whispered.
“Who?” Erin asked.
“The Ignitor I told you about,” Zane said, his voice emotionless.
Erin shook her head. “Ignitors make me nervous. Anyone who can burn the flesh from me with just a look…” She shuddered.