Page 65 of Fire in My Blood
I have no doubt he can be demanding, though, always expecting complete loyalty and obedience from everyone around him. But he’s also fair and compassionate, although I’ve got a feeling he doesn’t typically show his compassionate side.
Markus seems certain Lucas has feelings for me, but I can’t afford to believe him. At least not yet, not until I can talk to Lucas. And it’s unlikely I’ll get a chance to do that until the vampire is dead.
Looking out of the window tells me we’re getting close to my apartment, and my heart speeds up in my chest. In a fewminutes, I’ll have to get out of the car and walk to my apartment in the dark. I know there are streetlights along the way, but that does nothing to alleviate my terror. And neither does Markus’s assurances that he’ll stay close by.
The car stops in a dark area between two streetlights, and Markus leans forward, grabbing my attention. “We’ll get out first. Lynette will go to your apartment, and I’ll hide in the shadows. After five minutes, you get out and start walking. I’ll stay close the whole time. You’ll be perfectly safe.”
I swallow hard as I take in his sincere expression. “Okay.” It doesn’t feel okay, but I’m not about to say that.
Markus exits the car first, and Lyn follows. As Lyn moves past me, I hand her the keys to my apartment.
She gives me an encouraging smile. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry. I’ll leave the door unlocked after I’ve made sure there’s no one hiding in your apartment. But I’ll stay close by.”
They close the door behind them and move away.
My heart slams against my ribs as I sit there in silence. Squeezing my eyes closed, I wish this nightmare of a day will soon be over.
After five minutes, I open the door and get out. Hefting my bag and purse over my shoulder, I start walking down the street toward my apartment.
There are shops and cafes lining the street, and some of them are open, but I still feel exposed outside in the dark. My pulse thunders in my ears as I keep scanning the area around me for any signs of my attacker, expecting him to jump out at me at any second.
Taking a deep breath, I try to remember that this might be the last night I need to be afraid of him. If they catch him tonight, I will finally be able to live a normal life without fearing for my own safety or my family’s.
It will take some getting used to. Being careful and scared is second nature to me now, so it will take some time to adjust to a life where I can move around freely without looking over my shoulder.
But then there’s Lucas. I wince as pain cuts through my chest for probably the hundredth time since he left. The thought that he will be forced to be close to me on a regular basis from now on is both thrilling and devastating.
It’s thrilling because I can’t think of anything I want more than to spend time with him. But it’s terrifying because he’s likely to resent me for what happened, and being close to me will be a reminder of how he ended up unwillingly tied to me forever.
I approach the door to the parking garage below my apartment building. So far nothing has happened, but that doesn’t mean I’m safe. I clearly remember the figure I saw in the garage a few days ago.
Holding my breath, I pull the door open and look inside. After scanning the large space, I’m relieved to find it’s completely deserted. There are only two cars in there, and they’re both parked in the brightest-lit section. It’s hard to imagine a large vampire hiding behind one of them.
I hurry to the elevator and push the button. When it arrives, there’s no one inside, and there’s nobody in the stairwell when I arrive on my floor. The whole building is so quiet it’s almost eerie.
Chapter 40
Erica
As I stand in front of the door to my apartment, fear slams into me, sending my heart rate skyrocketing. I know Lyn has already been here, and it’s safe for me to enter, but I still have to force myself to open the door.
My apartment is quiet when I step inside. After closing and locking the door, I move through my kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom quickly and systematically, checking behind the couch and inside my closet. There’s no one there.
I know it’s my fear talking, but I still grab a chair from the kitchen and wedge it under the doorknob. It won’t stop him, but at least I’ll hear it if he opens the door.
I return to the kitchen and drop down into a chair. My hands are shaking, and my heart is hammering in my chest. Minutes go by before my heart finally slows to a more normal rhythm.
Digging through my purse, I find my cell phone. It’s still turned off, but perhaps now is a good time to turn it back on. Lucas, Lyn, and Markus are all outside waiting for the vampire to arrive, so even if he can track my phone, they’re there to catch him.
I make myself a cup of tea before turning on my phone. I told my brother I was going to call him back this evening, and now is as good a time as any. It isn’t like I have a lot of other things to do while I wait, and I’d like to reassure him I’m fine.
I press his name on the screen, and he answers on the first ring.
“Erica? Don’t—” The fear in his voice causes a chill to run down my spine.
“Erica. I’ve been waiting for you to call.” Dread burns like acid in the pit of my stomach at the sound of the familiar voice. My attacker has my brother.
“Please, don’t hurt him. I’ll do whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt him.” Tears gather in my eyes as I try not to think about what the vampire might have already done to David.