Chapter 51
The Guy Who Pissed Himself
“And then I said—” The ground shakes beneath my feet, and I stagger two steps to the side.
My coworker reaches for me, but before her hand touches my arm, she freezes. Eyes wide. Gaping at something behind me.
A low vibration rolls through the sidewalk.
I turn. Slowly.
And I lift my gaze.
It’s…
My mouth opens, but my throat doesn’t work to speak.
It’s…
I stumble back a step.
Because standing less than ten feet away, is Volik.
I’ve never…
I take another step back, toward the fence, and bump into my coworker.
The vampire is nearly three hundred years old, looks like he’s in his mid-thirties, and his power…
I swallow.
He’s vibrating the concrete.
It has to be him.
I’ve never seen a vampire in person.
Never seen the eyes…
A shiver runs down my spine.
His horns…
Something inside me is screaming at me to run.
He’s… Gods, he’s huge.
Gotta be over seven feet tall. The width of a door.
He looks like a superhero. Except he’s dressed in black. Head to toe.
Black pants. Black shoes. Black collared shirt with the top few buttons undone.
Black eyes.
I swallow.
Gods, those black eyes…
He takes a step forward. And I feel the footstep.
I feel it through the earth.
My hands start to shake.
Volik is no superhero.
He takes another step.
The reporter from Channel Twelve lifts her phone.
Volik tilts his head. And something hits me.
Moves through me like a pulse.
Everyone stumbles, shoved back a step.
Phones and cameras fall out of hands.
Volik straightens his head.
That was him.
My knees threaten to lock, and my lip starts to tremble.
He just did something to us.
With the tilt of his head.
He takes another step closer.
I can’t tell if he’s looking at another reporter. Or if he’s looking at me.
If he’s just looking at me.
His mouth opens, and my eyes lock on his fangs.
My hands shake.
“Do not crowd my mate.” His low voice resonates around us. “That would be a bad idea.”
He takes another step.
I stay frozen.
One more step, then he stops directly in front of me.
My coworker clings to my shirt as she hides behind my back.
My breathing is ragged. And I don’t want to look.
Don’t want to raise my eyes from his mouth.
But I do.
Because some part of me needs to see.
Then I’m meeting his terrifying gaze.
His eyes show nothing.
No movement. No direction. Just solid black orbs that could be looking at anything.
The giant vampire inhales, and my left hand lifts.
Against my will, my hand lifts.
I reach across myself and grip my wrist with my right hand. But I can’t stop it.
I can’t drag my hand away from whatever force is pulling it up.
Fear turns to terror.
Volik leans down. Towering over me.
And I feel… suddenly hot.
“You two smell like each other.” The vampire drags his tongue over his fang. “But your wedding ring smells like someone else.”
Volik straightens, and I swear something invisible presses against my chest. Warming me even more. Making me too hot.
Sweat beads across my forehead.
And then he’s gone. A blur down the block.
As wetness spreads across my lap.