Once Bitten, Twice Burned(62)

“See you soon, love,” Ryder whispered, and he brushed a kiss against her cheek.

She blinked and her lips parted in surprise. “Ryder?” This time, he was the one to leave. He pushed through the crowd and didn’t flash his fangs. Not until he was away from the pack of humans.

Then his fangs flashed and he started hunting.



Following him was a mistake. Sabine knew she should have just gone with her brother. Gotten into the ambulance with him. Gone to the hospital. Tried to forget about her vampire lover and the crazy phoenix in town.

But there was no forgetting, and she wasn’t about to let Ryder head off on a suicide mission.

She made sure Rhett was all right. Minor burns, but he’d make it. The guy had suffered worse injuries on a casual Saturday night. Bar fights were bitches.

Then she raced after Ryder. As soon as she cleared the crowd, Sabine started to move fast. Too fast for a human’s eyes to follow. And she wasn’t even sure how the hell she did it.

Vamp speed.

Another reminder that her old life was very much over.

She rushed faster and faster, chasing after Ryder. She rounded a corner and—

The narrow stretch of road before her was empty. Dying azaleas wilted on the northwest corner, but there was no sign of Ryder.

She’d been so sure that he’d gone this way. So very certain.

“Lose someone?”

Not Ryder’s voice.

The phoenix.

And his voice was coming from behind her.

Slowly, Sabine turned to face him. He stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, his body propped against the exterior brick wall of an abandoned house.

“You set the fire,” Sabine charged. Because she wasn’t an idiot. A phoenix was in town. The Rift had just burned.

He shrugged.

“My brother could have died.”

“Humans die every day.” The words weren’t even the least bit concerned. “It’s kind of their thing.” His eyes sharpened on her with . . . interest? Curiosity? “They aren’t like us.”

“I’m nothing like you.” She’d never started a fire for the hell of it. Just to watch the bitch burn.

Never had. Never would.

“Did you like the darkness?” he whispered and he didn’t look quite so relaxed then.

“What?” The only thing she’d like right then would be to hurt this jerk. If Rhett had died in that blaze . . .

“When you burned and you came back . . . and all you knew was the fire and fury, did you like the way you felt?”

The wind blew over her skin, but it wasn’t a cooling touch. In New Orleans, the breeze was humid and hot, like a scorch on her flesh.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she told him, making sure to keep her eyes on his. She wouldn’t let this guy see that she was afraid.

But if his senses were as acute as she suspected, then he could probably tell that truth, anyway.

“Pity.” Now he seemed disappointed. Much less curious. “It’s been so long since I talked to another phoenix. I’d hoped you’d be . . . more.”

Sorry to disappoint you, jerk. “Is that why you tossed some fire my way? To see just how much more I could be?”

He didn’t answer, but he seemed to have stiffened. His gaze darted over her shoulder.

She wasn’t going to make the mistake of turning and following his gaze. The guy was probably just trying to trick her. “Who are you?” Sabine demanded.

“You can call me Dante.”

“Why . . . because you start your own inferno?” She tossed right back.

A faint smile lifted his lips as he advanced toward her. “Something like that.” His fingers brushed over her arm. “I do like the fire.”

In the next instant, Dante was yanked back and thrown to the ground. One very pissed-off vampire stood over him. “Don’t ever touch her again,” Ryder barked.

Her breath came too fast. Fear could do that to a girl. Make her body tight and edgy. Make her breath pant out. She’d wondered where Ryder went, and now she was sure glad he was back.

Sabine began to inch toward him.

Dante rose from the ground. “Vampire.”

Ryder flashed his fangs.

“Do you honestly think you’re a match for someone like me?” Dante taunted. The flames began to flicker in his eyes. “I could kill you in an instant.”

“Then why don’t you just go ahead and give it your best shot?” Ryder invited, taking a step forward.

And Dante did. He leapt forward, his hand full of flames, and he shoved those flames right at Ryder’s chest.

Sabine screamed.



The ambulance sped down the road, rushing fast as its sirens screamed.

“You’re gonna be all right, man,” Vaughn said as he leaned over Rhett. “The burns aren’t that bad at all.”