Page 6 (1/2)

"Get her," the male says His voice is cales at roe clash and drop to the cobbles I grab her by the throat and sla at ain I duck She hits the opposite wall and I follow her I have her arth to tear it frolance down

"Help ala dialect

Thethe human Only then do I notice the short black bob, shtened brown eyes ri, ns a chic clothing boutique next door to Inkso several feet away and she crashes against the steps I lunge at theShe scrath than I credited hirabs my throat and lifts lares No er "Don’t fuck with ht shines off his jagged fangs

With lightning reflexes, I wrap s around his waist and jam the heel of my palround, I craard hie it into his heart He seizes, and I ju toward me In one fluidit at the feins to seize

The craving returns I turn for the hu has disappeared Out in the street, I search E the trash cans Bhing’s gone It’s only then that I realize why I killed the newlings

I wanted their hunt Their prey

I wanted Bhing’s blood

With both hands, I grasptoin large breaths Nausea crashes overto come up down With hazy vision, I notice two piles of ash on the ground The only thing that can kill vampires is pure silver Or another vampire

I’d killed the--or to save her? My head spins, and I push rabs me by the throat, squeezes, chokes Blackness crashes over …

"Hey, sleepyhead," a graveled, slightly French accent whispers in my ear "Wake up"

My eyes flutter open Uncertainty and disorder web their way through my memory Where aht filtering in through the gauzy curtains My bedrooht supported by one elbow, chiseled face staring down at me Eli I’m in my room, with Eli

His eyes bespeak volumes I know he i?"

Pushing up onto recount how I’d gotten fro I’d left the apartment--if I’d left at all Suddenly I wasn’t so sure I look at Eli "Have I been here all night?"

Eli’s eyes narrow "Why would you ask that?"

Frustrated, I juthe curtains back, I stare out over River Street "Have I been in bed with you all night?"

"Yes," he says, and ainst him "Tell me"

I relax "Daht, and I saw Bhing fros I killed theot away" I turn and stare up at his concerned expression "Then I felt, I don’t know Sick Dizzy" I shrug "Next thing I know, you’re waking h and move out of Eli’s arht I’o visit Preacher and Estelle before I get ready for work anyway" Preacher and Estelle keep a store, Da Plat Eye--a Gullah herbs and concoctions parlor--right next door They live upstairs, just like I live above Inksomnia

"They’re not there," Eli says "Ri, they left Monday o visit Estelle’s sister in Charleston Don’t you remember?"

Slowly, I turn and look at Eli My insides turn cold "Today is Monday"

Eli’s face is draorried "Today is Wednesday"

I close ainst the sockets What’s happening tochunks of tioing to bed, then suddenly being outside, fighting tlings over Bhing’s blood The last thing I want to do though is freak Eli out The very last thing I chuckle, shakeold Drealance at Eli "No pun intended" Glancing at the clock on rab soo with?"