There were two kinds of vampires in the world. Those that had been born to the blood, and those that had been taken, like her. The Taken had been transformed, but if you traced the bloodline—the literal, actual line of blood that had been spilled and drunk—a Taken would always track back to a Born.
And the Borns … they were the ones with the absolute control. They could link with every person in their sick blood family tree. Link and control.
The Born’s thoughts would whisper through his family’s minds, slipping inside, weakening, compelling, controlling…
No, no, I don’t want to kill!
But she’d been made to kill.
No control.
She wouldn’t do the same to Keenan. No matter what else he was, he’d saved her the night before.
“You won’t have control over me.”
He sounded so certain that she almost laughed. But when she glanced at his eyes, she found his gaze burning on her.
“It doesn’t work that way for my kind,” he said. “Only one thing can control us and that one thing isn’t a vampire. Vamps have no power over me.” He stared down at his wrist a moment, at the faint marks on his skin, then he glanced back at her. “So drink up because you can’t hurt me, you can’t kill me, and you can’t control me.”
Her fingers reached for him and curled around his strong wrist. “Sounds like you’re my perfect food supply.” The words were meant to be mocking.
She lifted his wrist to her mouth and sucked the skin. Her eyes were still on him, and she saw the flare of his pupils. Her teeth rasped over the flesh. “Too bad you’re a bounty hunter and all you want is to turn me over to your boss for a quick payment.” Because she was a wanted woman.
Some blood could never be washed away.
Nicole bit him. His breathing deepened and his drumming heartbeat filled her ears as she drank.
Strength filled her. Strength and … need.
Lust.
She’d never physically wanted her other prey. She’d just taken a few sips from them and hadn’t indulged long enough to truly enjoy the taste of their blood.
Keenan was … different.
She licked his flesh and stole away the last few drops of blood. Their eyes held. There was no mistaking the raw desire on his face or in his eyes.
“I’m not a bounty hunter.”
She lowered his hand. “You … you’re with Night Watch.” Night Watch was the bounty-hunting agency when it came to paranormals. The Night Watch agents were often Other, too. Who better to catch the supernaturals than the shifters with their enhanced senses? The witches with their magic?
And she’d already been warned once by a Night Watch agent. Dee Daniels had sent all the vamps a warning when she slayed Grim, the Born Master who’d been controlling them.
Cross the line and die.
“I know about Night Watch, but I don’t work for them.” His head cocked. “I don’t work for anyone.”
Now her heart raced too fast. “But you said …”
“No, you said. And I was hunting at the time, so I guess that did make me a hunter.” His lips twisted. “Of sorts.”
“What were you hunting?” Her fast heartbeat seemed to shake her chest.
“You.”
She jumped off the bed. The sheet ripped, but she kept a hold on just enough fabric to cover her body.
“I’ve been chasing after you for a while now.”
“Chasing me … but not because you were hired to find me.”
He shook his head.
Where were her clothes? “Then why?”
“Because you’re the key.”
No, um, she was a vampire. Not some kind of shiny—
“I lost something very, very important, and you can help me get it back.
—magical—what?
He rose from the bed. The sheet dropped. Oh, damn, she looked. Very impressive.
Too bad he was crazy. “I’m not a key to anything.”
He walked around the bed and gave her a real nice view of his sculpted ass. Then he snagged a pair of jeans from the back of a chair. Well, that was probably for the best. He yanked up the jeans and kept stalking toward her. “Actually, I think you’re the key to everything.”
Her gaze searched his. “You’re wrong. I’m a schoolteacher. I-I—”
“You were a teacher. Now you’re a vampire.” He shook his head and studied her a little too clinically. “I don’t know if that will make things easier or harder.”
Nicole started creeping away from him. “Look, I really wish you luck on finding your lost key, but I think it’s time for me to leave.” Her back bumped into the door. “Thanks for the, ah, blood, and the bed, but now—”