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survive, but he wasn’t sure how much she needed to complete the transformation. He
had seen the results of an incomplete ones and they weren’t pretty. Half-dead zombie-
like vampires that terrorized villages and gave the undead a bad name. Her mind
fluttered on the edge of his. That was a good sign. Forgive me, love. I would give you more,
but I can’t. Please come back to me.
He pulled his wrist away. He set her down and turned his gaze on Harold. The
man’s blood was laced with fear. It smelled wonderful. Nathan rose and watched the
horror-stricken expression move over his prey’s face. He glanced at the stake and
bladed-cross. Nathan hissed. Even injured he was still quicker than the-would-be
vampire hunter. Harold dashed to the side of the crypt. Nathan snatched his shirt and
held fast to the squirming man.
“If you kill me Josephine will have your head.”
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Nathan chuckled. “I doubt that very much, but I don’t intend on killing you.” He
wrenched Harold’s neck to the side and punched his fangs into his jugular. Blood
scorched his throat and immediately cleared the spots from his vision. He drank until
the wound in his chest stopped hurting and was on its way to healing. He pulled away
reluctantly leaving Harold weakened, but still alive. He threw him away from him glad
to be rid of the man.
“What are you going to do with me?”
Nathan licked his lips. He needed to go out and find another victim. He hated
taking human lives, but in this case he would have to drop a body. Hopefully there was
a vagrant in the cemetery that he could find for dinner. “She’ll be hungry when she
wakes up. Fresh blood will rejuvenate her. Be careful what you wish for.”
Nathan collected the weapons and walked out of the tomb. He pulled the doors
closed and shoved the cross through the handle. Harold shook the door and pressed his
face to the window.
“You can’t leave me! I’ll tell you anything you want. I’ll tell you about my partner.
I’ll tell you what he wants you for. Why he sent me to Josephine. Anything. Please!”
Nathan didn’t turn back but went to find his dinner. “Too late now.”
An hour later, a shrill shriek echoed in the cemetery. Happiness touched his lips
when the scream died away. He made his way to the vault, removed the cross, and
tucked it in the back of his jeans. He had been lucky to find not one, but too bums both
passed out on the outskirts of the cemetery so he was feeling his frisky self again. When
he opened the doors, he found Josephine cradling Harold’s cold body.
“Jo?”
She glanced up. The gleam in her eye made him wonder if she awoke intact. She
still smelled human to him. Her shirt was still wet from her blood. When he looked
closer at it, he realized that it was his shirt.
“Are you afraid of me too?” There was a coldness in her tone she hadn’t had before.
How could I ever be afraid of you? Hearing that broke his heart. The link between them
hadn’t solidified yet so he couldn’t read her. “Never afraid, just cautious.”
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His fingers ran along the cool metal of the cross and played over the small button to
send the blade out. He wasn’t sure if she would be afraid of crosses or hallowed
ground. She was newly turned and somewhat human so he had some leeway. She got
up with a smooth grace she hadn’t had before. A hunter’s prowl. She was an ethereal
beauty. Her dark eyes stared at him from under heavy lashes. She wound her arms
around his neck and gave him a secret smile. His heart fluttered while his cock
hardened. He would crumble if she asked him to fuck her right there. That was what he
ached to do. Josephine kissed him lightly on the mouth. He tasted Harold’s blood. He
dismissed the urge to lick her lips clean and taste the inside of her mouth. Instead, he
kissed her in return but then pulled away and unwound her hands from his neck. Baby,
you have no idea how much I want you, but we can’t do this now. The pout on her lips almost
ripped his heart in two, but he kept his expression stoic.
“Are you mad at me for coming here?”
“Hardly.” He eased his grip on the cross and caressed the side of her face sensing
that she wasn’t going to attack him. “I’m only taking it slow. You’re different now and I
don’t want us to rush into anything until you and I have had time to discuss this new
lifestyle.” Her hand ran along his erection. She bit her lip. The gleam in her emerald
eyes was that of a true vamp. He took in a deep breath to maintain control. “Come on.
You have to get some more blood in you. I know you’re hungry. I can feel the beast
inside you. Besides, sleep will do me good too.”
He gave her a smile and took her hand. When he walked toward the door, she
didn’t move.
“What is it?”
There were tears in her eyes. “Why don’t you want me?”
Nathan sensed her confusion. Her mind was jumbled. He understood exactly what
she was going through. She may comprehend where she was and what she was doing
now, but once she slept and fed it would all be muddled. At least that was how he
remembered his awakening. He took her in his arms and reassured her. “Of course I
want you. I’ve always wanted you. I’m not sure how long your immunity to sacred
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ground will last. I want to get home before the sun comes up. After you’ve fed, slept,
and...” he paused to nuzzle her neck. She giggled when he nibbled her ear. “Then we
can get reacquainted. I know you want to do that. I promise I won’t let anything
happen to you.”
“Okay.” She grinned.
He gave her a peck on the nose and led her out the door. He didn’t bother with the
body in the crypt. Harold could haunt the place for all he cared. They walked back to
the car and he got her settled into the seat. He was ready to climb in the driver’s seat
when he spied a woman standing at the fence. He froze.
Her brown hair formed a halo around her face. An eerie glow surrounded her. She
was dressed in white with a playful smile on her lips. It could be another projection like
Harold had used to lure me in. He heard her faint laughter. He dashed into his back seat
and grabbed one of the cameras he had among all his equipment. He got out and heard
her laughter again. At first, he thought it was the wind, but then she winked at him. Her
smile widened. He raised the camera and clicking the shutter. He wasn’t sure if he got
her because when he looked back she was gone. Was that a real ghost? Should I start
believing in the afterlife now?
A moment had passed and he waited for her to return. He didn’t hear the whirring
of the projector. Come to think of it, I never did find Harold’s accomplice. I wonder where he
was. I didn’t smell him when I was hunting. It was only Harold and I followed his smelly trail
back to his car and he was alone. Oh well. Nathan shook his head and chuckled. He glanced
back at Josephine and knew where his true attraction lay. She was the most important
thing. Now and forever.
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Chapter Ten
Josephine had dreams filled with blood and darkness. She fought through them to
wake up, but wasn’t able to get clear of the nightmare images which were haunting her.
Every once in a while she sensed Nathan close to her. When she reached out to him, he
retreated too. Her heart was set on getting to him, but no matter how hard she tried to
find him in the shadows, he would always disappear. The emptiness inside of her grew
and when she thought it would consume her, the darkness broke. Her soul was lifted
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