Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) (32 page)

He
shook
his
head.
“Keep
it.
But
drink
some
water
as
well—you
need
to
replace
the
fluids.”

“Thank
you,”
she
said.

“Yeah,
right,
I’m
a
bloody
doctor
now
as
well.”
He
turned
and
stalked
toward
the
door.

“Where
are
you
going?”
Tannis
asked.

“I’m
going
to
stake
me
a
vampire.”

“Do
you
need
any
help?”

“And
share
the
fun?
Hell
no.”

Chapter
Nine

Alex
stood
in
the
shower,
letting
the
hot
water
wash
away
the
blood
and
scent
of
fear.
She
was
feeling
stronger
with
every
passing
minute—and
more
stupid.

Rico
was
right.

She
was
too
naive
to
live.

But
he
was
wrong
about
one
thing.
She
wasn’t
a
child.
She
didn’t
think
she
had
ever
been,
and
maybe
that
was
the
problem.
She’d
been
cosseted,
cared
for,
never
exposed
to
the
realities
of
life,
but
she
had
also
never
been
allowed
a
childhood
filled
with
mistakes.

Never
experimented,
tried
things—discovered
for
herself
what
was
safe
and
what
wasn’t.
One
thing
she
had
learned
at
an
early
age
was
obedience.
Every
waking
moment
someone
had
told
her
what
to
do
and
how
to
do
it.

That
was
the
real
reasons
she
had
left
the
ship
today.
Oh,
Mogg
had
given
her
the
excuse,
but
she’d
wanted
to
break
the
rules.

From
as
long
as
she
could
remember
she’d
been
told
she
was
important—this
great
priestess
whom
everybody
worshipped.
When
she’d
run
away,
it
had
been
a
total
revelation.
One
that
had
nearly
killed
her.
No
one
had
worshipped
her.
No
one
had
cared
whether
she
lived
or
died.
Until
Tannis
had
found
her
and
given
her
a
home.
And
she’d
repaid
that
kindness
by
jeopardizing
everyone.

Two
fang
marks
marred
the
smoothness
of
her
breast,
vivid
against
the
white
skin.
At
least
Rico
hadn’t
tried
to
lick
them
.
Hadn’t
even
seen
them,
she
hoped.
Her
skin
was
darkening
as
bruises
formed.
A
handprint
on
her
other
breast,
each
finger
clearly
marked
where
he’d
dug
into
her
flesh.
She
touched
her
fingers
to
the
wounds
on
her
neck.
It
had
always
been
a
complete
mystery
to
her
why
women
let
Rico
bite
them.
But
the
actual
bite
hadn’t
really
hurt
at
the
time.
Not
much
anyway,
and
she
realized
that
what
she’d
hated
the
most
wasn’t
the
pain,
but
the
feeling
of
powerlessness.
That
Bastion
had
had
the
strength
to
do
whatever
he
liked
with
her,
and
she
could
do
nothing
to
stop
him.

After
drying
herself,
she
pulled
on
some
clean
clothes,
curled
up
on
the
bed
with
Mogg
held
tight
against
her
stomach,
and
closed
her
eyes.

They’d
come
to
save
her.
Jon
and
Tannis.
Even
Rico.
At
the
thought,
her
eyes
pricked
again,
but
she
blinked
away
the
tears.
That
was
the
last
time
she
cried.

From
now
on,
she
wouldn’t
give
anyone
a
reason
to
call
her
stupid.

Rico’s
silver
flask
stood
on
the
table
by
her
bed,
and
she
picked
it
up,
took
another
swallow,
and
leaned
back
as
the
warmth
spread
through
her
system.

She
sipped
until
the
flask
was
empty,
lay
down,
and
shut
her
eyes.
The
room
swam
behind
her
closed
lids.

And
then
she
was
dreaming
about
Jon.
He
was
rescuing
her
again.
It
was
a
good
dream.
In
this
one,
it
was
Jon
who
picked
her
up,
held
her
cradled
against
his
chest.
Jon
who
kissed
and
licked
her
throat,
his
tongue
warm
and
wet,
until
the
pain
went
away.

She
woke
abruptly
and
jumped,
then
forced
herself
to
relax.
It
was
only
Daisy
and
Janey.

“How
are
you
feeling?”
Daisy
asked.

Alex
pulled
herself
up
and
took
a
quick
inventory.
Bits
of
her
still
ached,
and
there
were
one
or
two
sharp
twinges,
but
otherwise,
she
felt
fine.
“I’m
okay.”

“Good,
because
we’re
here
to
take
you
shopping,”
Janey
said.

“We
checked
with
Tannis,”
Daisy
added.
“She
says
it’s
okay.”

“What
about
the
wanted
posters?”

Janey
held
up
something
that
bore
a
strong
resemblance
to
a
dead
animal.
“Skylar
donated
this.
And
she’s
coming
with
us
to
keep
guard.
You’ll
be
safe.”

Alex
recognized
it
now.
Not
a
dead
animal,
but
Skylar’s
long
blond
wig.
She
took
it
from
Janey’s
outstretched
hand
and
plonked
it
on
her
head.
“What
do
you
think?”

“It’s
good.”
A
small
frown
played
across
Janey’s
face.
“Are
you
okay
though?
Are
you
up
to
this?
If
we’re
going,
we
have
to
go
now.
The
Trog
reckons
he’ll
be
finished
in
a
couple
of
hours,
and
Tannis
wants
to
get
away
from
here.
But
if
you
just
want
to
sleep,
we’ll
understand.”