“True,” Edna said, “but maybe one of Mara’s old enemies wants her dead and doesn’t have the cojones to do the job himself.”
“It’s a possibility,” Pearl agreed.
“If they’re afraid to go after Mara, killing Derek would be the best revenge they could take. If anything happened to him, she would never get over it.”
Pearl nodded, and then sighed. “Remember when we were hunters?”
“Yes, indeed,” Edna said, grinning. “And we’re still hunters.”
“Yes, dear. Only the prey has changed.”
Setting her glass on the table beside her chair, Edna stood. “Speaking of change, it’s time to get out of these dreary outfits and into something a little more comfortable.”
“Like a nice warm neck or two?” Pearl remarked.
“Girlfriend, you must be reading my mind.”
Derek waited until Sheree was asleep before slipping outside to where Mara waited.
“What’s up?” He glanced up and down the street, but all was quiet, the houses dark. A faint breeze carried the scent of skunk. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked, a steady yapping that spoke of boredom.
“Would you believe me if I said I was just in the neighborhood?”
“Not likely.”
“All right,” she said with an airy wave of her hand. “I’m spying on you.”
“Worried about me?”
“No, about Sheree, actually. I know the mood you were in earlier.”
“And you thought I’d rip her throat out?” He laughed softly. “Why would you care?”
“I’ve grown rather fond of her these last few days.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Derek shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “She let me drink from her tonight.”
“You fed on her?” Mara exclaimed.
“No! No, it wasn’t like that. She knew I needed to feed and she offered, but the thing is, after a swallow or two, the hunger left me. Nothing like that’s ever happened before.”
“Interesting, but not unheard of. So, you’re going to stay with her?”
“For a while.”
“Do you think that’s wise?”
“Probably not, but . . . all I know is that I need her in ways I don’t understand. It’s like she’s a missing part of me. I know, that sounds sappy as hell, but . . .”
“Believe it or not, I understand. It’s how I feel about Logan. The hardest thing I ever did was admit that I needed him,” she said, smiling. “Chauvinist that he is, he’s never let me forget it, which would be unbearable, except that he needs me, too.”
“Yeah.”
Mara glanced at the house. “Are you thinking of spending the day here?”
“No. I’ll be home before dawn.”
“All right. I’ll relieve you then.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
With a shake of her head, she vanished into the darkness.
Derek lingered in the shadows, enjoying the quiet of the night. Opening his vampire senses, he listened to the slow, steady beat of Sheree’s heart, smiled when she sighed in her sleep. His mind brushed hers. She was dreaming of him.
Leaning against a tree, he felt himself relax—really relax—for the first time in months. And he owed it to Sheree. He had never expected her to accept what he was.
He lifted his head as a new scent was carried to him by the night wind.
Hunters! There was no mistaking that smell. Or the smell of vampires!
Dissolving into mist, he drifted down the street. Hovering in the air, he watched in amazement as the two old ladies he had seen in the Den fought a trio of well-armed hunters. The hunters, all big men in their prime, towered over the two vampires. Had life and death not hung in the balance, Derek might have found the battle highly amusing.
He had no intention of interfering until the fight turned against the vampires. Chiding himself for being a fool, he materialized behind the nearest hunter and choked him out.
The shortest of the hunters quickly realized they were now outnumbered. Yelling at his remaining companion to follow him, he hightailed it down the street.
The third hunter wasn’t ready to call off the fight until both of the women launched themselves at him, driving him to the ground. He looked up at Derek, seeking help he quickly realized wouldn’t be forthcoming.
Derek let his eyes go red. “What are you doing here?” he growled.
“What the hell do you think?”
“Who are you after?”
“Any vampire I can find!” He struggled against the two holding him down, swore when he realized that they were a lot stronger than they looked.
“What’s your name?”
“Go to hell, bloodsucker!”