Eternal Hunter (Night Watch 1)

“My tooth!” At least, that’s what Erin thought the vampire said. It was a bit hard to understand her.

“It’s not like it won’t grow back.” Jude’s voice was mild.

The vamp heaved against him, but his hold was unbreakable. Erin glanced around the alley, then back at them, worried someone else would come by.

“But your head, now that’s a different matter.” His smile sent a shiver through Erin. “That won’t be growing back once it’s cut off. And if you don’t answer my questions, fast, well, I’ll just have to start using my claws.”

Erin tensed. He could do it. The surefire way to kill a vamp was to take off the head. A tiger’s claws could cut through bone and muscle so easily.

No. They hadn’t come to kill. Just to get information.

I don’t hurt innocents. His words drifted through her mind. No way could the vamp count as innocent.

How long had she been in the city? Taking her donors—willing and not? How long?

And I never knew.

No, she hadn’t wanted to know. She’d been working her cases, taking down the humans who broke the law, thinking she was safe in her little town. Far away from the Other.

She’d been so wrong. Dead wrong.

“I’m looking for a wolf shifter.”

The vamp froze beneath him.

Her eyes gave her away instantly.

“You know where the wolf is, don’t you?” His claws broke the skin of her neck, just a bit. Blood welled.

“You…don’t want to…find the wolf.” The vamp pulled her head back, trying to ease away from those claws. “Kill…you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t worry about me. I think I’ll be just fine.” He leaned in a bit closer. “While you—you’re gonna find it real hard to keep bloodsucking without a head.”

That would be a challenge. Erin cleared her throat. “Jude…” She wasn’t going to let him do this. Couldn’t let him.

“My rules, Erin, remember?” He didn’t glance her way. The air in the alley was thick and hot and sweat trickled down her back.

“Mort’s Bar! S-seen the wolf…last Saturday.”

Mort’s Bar. Erin’s breath rushed out. She knew the place. The owner, Jacques, was old-school Cajun. And Mort…that meant death.

“Guess you get to keep your head.” Jude rose slowly, keeping his eyes trained on the woman.

“Asshole!” She scrambled to her feet. Her hand rose to her mouth and she touched the hole that had been her right fang.

“Bitch!”

Erin stared back at her. The blood ho had been trying to attack her. Defending herself had been the only option.

“I hope the wolf…rips you apart!” Screamed at them. Then she was gone, bounding toward the back of the alley.

Disappearing into the shadows.

Erin finally took a deep breath and tasted shit.

She choked back her gag.

“Come on,” Jude ordered. “Let’s get out of here.”

Yes, that sounded like a great plan to her.

Jude slammed the door to the motel room. He threw the lock and waited for Erin to pounce.

But she didn’t pounce. Didn’t glance his way. Didn’t speak.

Same routine she’d had in the car.

Hell, I let the vamp live. Shouldn’t that count for something?

“Erin.”

She jumped. Jumped. She’d been the one to knock the vamp’s tooth out, and, he was pretty sure she’d broken the blonde’s jaw.

The lady had a killer right hook.

He’d remember that.

“I—it’s late.” Said without looking at him. But, yeah, it was late.

Hitting close to three a.m. late. It had taken him forever to find a working girl he thought might be a vamp.

Same rules, different city. Vamps liked to get their prey in the easiest possible way.

Sex worked. Always had. Always would.

While the men were getting ready, so busy fantasizing and stroking their dicks, the vamps locked those teeth on ’em and took.

Some humans liked the pain of the bite.

Some were scared shitless.

Some fought. Some died.

Vamps didn’t usually care, no matter what the victim did.

Erin’s fingers rose to the front of her shirt and fumbled with the buttons.

Jude swallowed. Okay. She was stripping. Right in front of him. He could see the edge of her bra, dark blue. So if she was stripping here instead of heading to the bathroom, she wanted him to look and that meant—

Her fingers paused and she glanced up at him. The woman totally froze him with her stare.

It meant jackshit.

“You’re a hard man, Jude Donovan. Dark—darker inside than I realized.”

A slow rage began to simmer in his veins. He took a step toward her, then another. His hands fisted. “I’m not a man, sweetheart. You can’t make that mistake with me.”

Her lips parted. Pale and moist and he could see the tip of her tongue.

The beast inside lunged against his leash.

Maybe he’d let the tiger go. Show her how dark he really was.

“You’ve killed, haven’t you, Jude?” The top two buttons on her shirt were undone, but the striptease seemed to be over.

And the interrogation had begun.

He hadn’t lied to her yet. Wouldn’t start now. So he kept his eyes on hers, didn’t look at those sweet br**sts, and left the leash in place, for now.

“Hell, yeah, I have.” And to protect himself, or her, he’d do it again. In a heartbeat. “Want to know how old I was the first time? Want to know how I did it? Want to know who I—”

She turned away from him, and he clenched his jaw, biting back the words. What the f**k did she want? She knew what he was. She’d seen everything. Every f**king thing.

Man to beast.

She hadn’t run. She’d turned to him. Taken him after the brutal shift. But now, because he’d gotten rough with the undead scum in order to help her, Erin was acting like he wasn’t good enough for her.

Because maybe I’m not.

He hadn’t told her about his folks. Not yet. With that ass**le after her, he just hadn’t wanted to—

Make her run.

Make her fear me.

“I want to be normal.” A whisper that he could hear all too easily. “I want a normal life, normal—”

He lunged across the room. Grabbed her elbow and spun her back around. He was afraid, very afraid, that her next word would be—

Lover.

I want a normal lover.

He sure didn’t fit that bill. “You’re not normal. You’re damn better than normal. Normal isn’t for us. Fire, lust, the power of the beast— that’s for us. Ball games and barbecues aren’t our cup of tea.”