He grinned, gore dripping from his fangs. “Too late, Amy. He’s gone.”
Robert flung Luke away from him, Luke landing on the floor in a limp heap. Amy cried out, crouching on the floor beside him. There was so much blood running from Luke’s neck, a red torrent flowing onto the floor.
She looked up at Robert, her lips pulled back in a feral grimace. “If you think I’m going anywhere with you, you’re crazy. You can leave or I can…”
“You can what? You can’t do anything, Amy. Your little mortal lover is dead. Why stay here in this little crap hole? Come with me…see the world. A lot has changed in the past hundred years.”
Robert wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “We could even go back to Scotland. Castle Leod is still standing. You could visit your old stomping grounds.”
The sound of the gun shot split the air. Amy screamed.
There was a perfectly round bullet hole just where his heart was, a trickle of black leaking down the front of his shirt. If she hadn’t been so scared and angry, the comical look of shock on his face would have made her laugh.
For an instant he froze, staring down at his chest. And then he threw his head back, an unearthly scream tearing from his lips. Amy watched in morbid fascination as his body began to smoke, the skin peeling back in layers from his hands and face. The screaming continued as he slowly sank to the floor, his skin gone, bones exposed, his handsome face now just an empty skull. The bones charred, turning black, crumbling. And the screaming continued.
And then, all that was left was a pile of ashes on the bar floor. It had taken no more than a heartbeat for Robert to disappear. It took longer for the echoes of his screams to fade.
Amy spun around, sitting down hard on the floor, looking back toward where the bullet came from. Pete was standing in the doorway, a smoking gun in his hand.
“Pete? Pete…what the hell?” Amy stood shakily, leaning on the bar.
“I forgot something. Heard the noises. Figured it was time to pull out the bar’s namesake.” He put the gun on the bar, walking around to where Luke lay, pale and unmoving on the floor.
“Is he dead?” Pete’s voice was eerily calm.
“I…I don’t really know.” Amy knelt next to Luke.
“Aren’t you going to do something?” Pete was watching her, a puzzled frown on his face.
“Call 9-1-1, you mean?”
“No. I mean, turn him. You should do it soon, before it’s too late.” Pete’s voice was matter of fact.
Amy stared in shock at Pete. “You mean…what do you mean?”
“Amy, stop playing coy. Change him, now.” Pete was digging in his pocket. “Here’s a knife…” He held out a pocket knife. Amy stared at him, looking down at the knife. She shook her head.
“What the hell. This day can’t get any weirder.” She waved away the knife. “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”
She quickly raked a fingernail across her wrist, opening a vein. Gently she cradled Luke’s head in her lap, letting her blood drip between his lips.
“I hope it’s not too late…”
Pete was crouched on the other side of Luke, holding his hand. “Come on, big guy. I know you’re still in there.”
It seemed an eternity but Luke finally stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. They moved between Pete and Amy, finally settling on Amy. He tried to talk but could only manage a thick gurgle.
“Shhh…don’t talk yet, okay? Just relax.”
Pete got up, coming back with a bar towel. Amy gently wiped the blood from Luke’s mouth.
“What happens next?” Pete looked at Amy, his voice low. “How do you know…did it work?”
Amy nodded. “Yeah, it worked. He was pretty well drained. If it hadn’t worked, he’d still be…well, dead.”
“What happened?” Luke was struggling to sit up. Amy and Pete helped him sit back against the bar.
“Last thing I remember was you arguing with some guy and then all hell broke loose. The bastard bit me!” Before Amy could stop him, Luke ran his hand along his neck.
“Holy shit. Amy?” Panic made Luke’s eyes bright. “Half my neck is gone? There’s blood…my blood…everywhere.”
“Luke…relax. Right now, everything’s okay.”
“So I ask again, what the hell happened?”
Amy took a deep breath. “The guy you saw, the one who attacked you, was a vampire. Like me.” She look across at Pete, but there was no change in his expression. He was still watching Luke.
“He’s from my long-ago past. Sort of a crazed-stalker-across-the-centuries kind of thing… Anyway, you came in at the wrong time and he attacked you. And bit you.” She cringed, waiting for Luke’s reaction.
“Somehow I’m not surprised by that. Then what? I heard a gunshot…someone shot your stalker?”
“I did.” Pete spoke up.
Amy and Luke looked at Pete in surprise.
“How did you know…where did you get…” Amy closed her eyes. “Pete, for all the weird shit that’s happened tonight, you shooting a vampire with a silver bullet is by far the hardest part for me to understand.”
For the first time since she’d known him, Pete smiled. “Amy, I’ve know you’re a vampire for a long time…pretty much since you hired me.” He shrugged. “It’s no big deal to me. You’re a great boss, nice lady…it’s all good for me.”
“But Robert…”
“I heard most of your argument the other night, the night Riley died.” Pete’s smile faded. “The guy was gone too quickly for me to do anything then. Or to save Riley.”
Amy stared, open-mouthed, Luke all but forgotten as she cradled him in her lap. “But…really? All this time? Holy shit, I’m losing my edge, if I can’t pass anymore.” She shook her head.
Luke pushed himself away from Amy. “As interesting as this is, can someone tell me where I fit into all of this? Amy…what happened to me?”
“Amy saved you…you were dead.” Pete stood, pulling out a chair. Luke was struggling to his feet and Pete tried to help him to the chair, but Luke waved him off.
“I’m fine. Never felt better…” He dropped heavily into the chair. Amy rose, sliding into a chair next to Luke.
“Actually, I do feel pretty good.” He turned to Amy. “I suspect you had something to do with that?”
She thought she saw a smile tugging at the corners of Luke’s mouth.
“Well, yeah, I did. I…you’re…we…” She closed her eyes. “Yeah. I changed you. You’re like me now. Immortal forever.”
Reaching out, she took his hand. “You’d be dead if I hadn’t. I know you were undecided…”
Luke was shaking his head. “Amy, it’s okay. Really. That’s what I was coming here to talk about. I’d gone home and Mary told me she knew where I’d been…here with you. She basically threw me out.” He squeezed her hand.
“So, I decided…yeah, I’d rather be with you than not, maybe give this immortal thing a second thought.” He looked down, frowning at the blood on his hands, covering his shirt and jeans.
“I’m still not sold on this blood drinking thing though…you’re going to have to walk me through that one.” He looked at Amy. “But I’m willing to try.”
Amy looked over at Pete. “I owe you a raise, Pete. And a week of vacation. You’ve saved both of us tonight. I don’t know how I can repay you.”
Pete waved a hand. “No, really, I’m fine.”
“Really Pete…anything. Name it, it’s yours. Do you want to be a vampire? Interested in being immortal?”
That brought a deep laugh from Pete. “Oh, hell, no. I don’t want to be a vampire. No offense, but…well, I have my own lock on immortality. You asked me how I knew you were a vampire.” He leaned against the bar.
“I’m a werewolf, Amy. I scented you the first day I met you.”
There was a stunned silence in the room. Amy stared at Pete.
“No shit.” Amy finally regained her voice. “Well, I’ll be damned.” She turned to Luke.
�
�You know what. I think we’ve all had a long day. Not sure about you, but I’m ready for bed. Pete, lock the door on your way out. And I’m serious…take a few days off. I think I’ll close up shop, take care of Luke here. You can go do…whatever you do.”
Pete left through the back door. Amy tried to help Luke up the stairs but he pushed her away.
“Stop fussing, woman. I’m perfectly capable of getting up the stairs. And I’m perfectly capable of taking you to bed and showing you a good time. So stop telling me I need to rest.”
Luke ran a hand along his neck. “It’s…gone. The bite…the gash…” He looked at Amy.
She nodded. “You heal almost instantly. All that…Robert’s bite…it’s all gone.”
He stripped off his blood-stained clothing, tossing it into the hall, grimacing as he did. In short order, he was standing naked in the doorway.
Amy threw up her hands, laughing. “Okay. You win. Just remember, we’ve got all eternity to spend together. There’s really no need…”
Before she could finish, Luke had her in his arms, pulling her against his chest. His mouth came down hard on hers, crushing her lips in a rough kiss. She could feel his cock pressing against her stomach, growing hard as the kiss continued. When he finally let her go, Amy was gasping.
“Oh…Luke. You’re right…you are perfectly fine.”
“Told you. Now let me show you.” Luke tipped Amy back onto the bed, looking down at her. She saw the usual lust and arousal in his eyes, and something else, something dark and dangerous that made her gasp. She saw his eyes flash crimson. And that sent a wave of arousal thundering through her body.
“I hope you fed well, Amy, because it’s going to be a long time before I let you out of this bed.”
He climbed up beside her, tearing open the front of her blouse. Amy was fumbling with the snap and zipper of her jeans and the moment they were undone, Luke had them stripped down her legs.
“God, Amy. You’re amazing…more beautiful somehow than I remember.” He settled himself between her legs, his mouth coming down on one breast, pulling the hard nipple into his mouth. Amy held his head to her breast as he sucked greedily, moving from one to the other.
She could feel Luke’s hips thrusting slowly, his cock rubbing against the inside of her thigh. With a slight shift, she spread her legs, wrapping them around Luke’s body. He responded, sliding his cock further up her leg, finally brushing it against her cunt.
He still had one nipple firmly in his mouth, sucking hard, as he entered her, thrusting slowly. Amy gasped, rolling her hips, her fingers wound through his hair.
“God, Luke…this is heaven. Don’t ever stop.”
They were locked together in this primal dance, Luke taking her beyond anything she’d ever experienced. And then she felt his fangs brush against her neck.
“Yes…oh, God, yes! Bite me…”
Luke sat back, pulling Amy up his thighs, his cock still buried in her. He held her easily against him, her legs still wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck.
His head bent to her neck again and she felt the first prick of his fangs against her skin. There was an instant of blinding heat surging through her, taking her breath away.
And then she screamed, arms thrown wide. Luke held her, hands splayed across her back, as he sucked at her neck. She was dizzy with passion, with his cock inside her, with his mouth on her neck. Everything was spiraling upward, her body one solid mass of ecstasy, her mind on a different level of consciousness.
Luke was still sucking at her neck as she came back to her body. She could tell he was on the edge of his own orgasm. She gently pushed him away from her neck, her eyes locking with his.
“My turn now.” She pushed him back on the bed, straddling his hips, instantly beginning to ride him hard. She bent her head to his neck, her fangs against his sweet flesh. And then she bit.
Luke went completely still for a heartbeat. And then he cried out, his body convulsing beneath her, almost throwing her off as he twisted and writhed beneath her. She felt his cock twitching and pulsing, and then he exploded inside her.
She kept her mouth on his neck, biting and sucking, as he thrust upward over and over, his hands clutching her hips, pulling her down onto his hard cock. There seemed to be no end to his orgasm, to the endless hot spurts she felt inside her.
Finally his thrusts tapered off, his cries growing fainter. His body was still twitching beneath her, but his hands had lost their death grip on her thighs. Amy gently pulled away, curling close to Luke. He pulled her to him, burying his face in her neck. It was a long time before he spoke, saying the words she’d been waiting to hear, from any man…or vampire…for centuries.
“I love you, Amy.”
The Girl Who Bites Page 4
