black coat and hung in over Kathrina’s shoulders. “That should help.”
“Why don’t we go back now?” Kathrina was tired of wandering the dark streets of the city. All she wanted was a warm drink and a fire to sit next to. She wished she could talk Luciano into staying at Donavan’s, but she knew that was out of the question. He felt he couldn’t trust anyone.
Luciano stopped and pointed to a night watchman that was walking the docks about a hundred yards ahead of them. “He should be simple. Use your feminine talents and you’ll have him eating out of your hand.”
“I told you no. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“If you don’t … I will,” he warned.
Kathrina took a deep breath and started toward the intended victim. Luciano stayed behind, watching her from the shadows of the nearby buildings. She walked slowly, trying to buy some time.
How could she warn the man without tipping off Luciano to what she was doing?
When she was within a few feet of the watchman, Kathrina called out to him. “Excuse me sir!”
The man looked up from the door he had been checking on one of the many buildings around the dock. A second later he pointed a flashlight in her direction. The beam of light was so bright that it blinded her.
“Can I help you?” he asked with a deep southern accent.
“Where is the nearest place to get a hot cup of coffee?” She was unable to think of anything else to say.
“Well there’s a little café down the road a ways … about a block. It should still be open.”
Kathrina held a hand up to shield her eyes from the light. Only then could she make out more detail. He appeared to be in his fifties - very average, with a little chunk around the middle. The flesh around his eyes was slightly puffy, making it appear as if his eyes were small, but she suspected this was simply lack of sleep.
What kind of life would he leave behind if he died tonight?
That was the only thing Kathrina could think about as she took a couple of steps toward the watchman.
What dreams did the man have that would forever vanish with his last breath? How would his family feel when he never returned home?
Kathrina could not banish these thoughts, no matter how much she tried.
As she drew nearer, Kathrina pretended to trip. The man instinctively reached out to grab her.
Staring into his eyes, Kathrina drew back her lips to show him her fangs. He was startled to the point of being temporarily paralyzed.
“Run,” she hissed. “Get out of here now!”
The man let go of her and backed away quickly, but before he could turn and run Luciano was beside him and had a death grip around his throat. The watchman yelped with fear when he looked into the vampire’s glowing eyes.
“Let him go … please!” Kathrina begged.
Luciano ignored her as he prepared to sink his teeth into the man’s pulsing artery.
“You said you would give me anything I ask for,” Kathrina reminded him, desperate to save the man’s life. “Give me this.”
There was a loud thump when Luciano dropped the man. Kathrina went to him to see if he was still alive. Though he was breathing, he was unconscious.
Luciano grabbed her arm and drug her away from the watchman. “You warned him!” he accused.
“I told you I don’t want to do this.”
“Now you have insisted that I let him live. What stories do you think he will tell?” Luciano snarled.
“I didn’t think of that,” she admitted.
“How are you going to kill Omar when you can’t even force yourself to kill a mere mortal?”
“Killing Omar is different. It’s more like self defense.”
Kathrina did not hear his response because of the abrupt and excruciating pain that ripped through her side. Crying out, she stumbled to the ground.
Luciano was leaning over her and the look on his face alarmed her more than the pain. It was the first time there had been anything close to shock or fear in his eyes. Warm blood was oozing from her body to cover her skin and the
“Why don’t we go back now?” Kathrina was tired of wandering the dark streets of the city. All she wanted was a warm drink and a fire to sit next to. She wished she could talk Luciano into staying at Donavan’s, but she knew that was out of the question. He felt he couldn’t trust anyone.
Luciano stopped and pointed to a night watchman that was walking the docks about a hundred yards ahead of them. “He should be simple. Use your feminine talents and you’ll have him eating out of your hand.”
“I told you no. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“If you don’t … I will,” he warned.
Kathrina took a deep breath and started toward the intended victim. Luciano stayed behind, watching her from the shadows of the nearby buildings. She walked slowly, trying to buy some time.
How could she warn the man without tipping off Luciano to what she was doing?
When she was within a few feet of the watchman, Kathrina called out to him. “Excuse me sir!”
The man looked up from the door he had been checking on one of the many buildings around the dock. A second later he pointed a flashlight in her direction. The beam of light was so bright that it blinded her.
“Can I help you?” he asked with a deep southern accent.
“Where is the nearest place to get a hot cup of coffee?” She was unable to think of anything else to say.
“Well there’s a little café down the road a ways … about a block. It should still be open.”
Kathrina held a hand up to shield her eyes from the light. Only then could she make out more detail. He appeared to be in his fifties - very average, with a little chunk around the middle. The flesh around his eyes was slightly puffy, making it appear as if his eyes were small, but she suspected this was simply lack of sleep.
What kind of life would he leave behind if he died tonight?
That was the only thing Kathrina could think about as she took a couple of steps toward the watchman.
What dreams did the man have that would forever vanish with his last breath? How would his family feel when he never returned home?
Kathrina could not banish these thoughts, no matter how much she tried.
As she drew nearer, Kathrina pretended to trip. The man instinctively reached out to grab her.
Staring into his eyes, Kathrina drew back her lips to show him her fangs. He was startled to the point of being temporarily paralyzed.
“Run,” she hissed. “Get out of here now!”
The man let go of her and backed away quickly, but before he could turn and run Luciano was beside him and had a death grip around his throat. The watchman yelped with fear when he looked into the vampire’s glowing eyes.
“Let him go … please!” Kathrina begged.
Luciano ignored her as he prepared to sink his teeth into the man’s pulsing artery.
“You said you would give me anything I ask for,” Kathrina reminded him, desperate to save the man’s life. “Give me this.”
There was a loud thump when Luciano dropped the man. Kathrina went to him to see if he was still alive. Though he was breathing, he was unconscious.
Luciano grabbed her arm and drug her away from the watchman. “You warned him!” he accused.
“I told you I don’t want to do this.”
“Now you have insisted that I let him live. What stories do you think he will tell?” Luciano snarled.
“I didn’t think of that,” she admitted.
“How are you going to kill Omar when you can’t even force yourself to kill a mere mortal?”
“Killing Omar is different. It’s more like self defense.”
Kathrina did not hear his response because of the abrupt and excruciating pain that ripped through her side. Crying out, she stumbled to the ground.
Luciano was leaning over her and the look on his face alarmed her more than the pain. It was the first time there had been anything close to shock or fear in his eyes. Warm blood was oozing from her body to cover her skin and the
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