the dark, looming figure blocking the entrance. One of
them screamed and ran the other way. The other — a petite blonde with heavy
makeup and a tight honey-colored mini-skirt — stood transfixed, unable to move.
With hypnotic eyes, Alexandru beckoned the woman to him. She came. With careful
control, he planted submissive thoughts in her mind until she tilted her head
and allowed him full access to her lifeline.
Alexandru lowered his head, fangs lengthening, and punctured
the pulse point throbbing at the nape of her neck. The woman sighed and sagged
against him. He drank hungrily. Greedily. The sweet, coppery liquid warmed his
throat. Still he thirsted. He took more and more, but nothing satiated his
hunger. He stopped just short of taking the woman’s life. His blood turned to
ice. He had only killed once before, and he had never forgiven himself for it.
He would not do it again. Alexandru hated killing. Now, he rarely took a victim
— and for those he did take he never took more from them than they could handle
— choosing, instead, to feed at The Voodoo Den and the occasional blood bank.
But seeing Rana last night had unleashed primal desires he no longer could
control. He wanted her. Always had and always would. Even if it meant his
death. Disgusted with himself, Alexandru lifted his head and set the woman
down. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and with a sweep of his
arm erased the woman’s memory. She would never know she had been his victim. He
turned on his heel and disappeared into the night, leaving the stunned woman
gasping for breath. Only one thing would satisfy him now.
Rana.
Something watched her. Rana could feel its presence inside
the small bookstore. There were no customers and she only had a few minutes
left until closing time. She shot a look toward the glass door.
Nothing.
The streetlight outside flickered on just as the moon rose
above the cypress tree alongside her building.
She straightened the display center and returned two books
to a shelf at the back of the store. The hairs on the back of her neck stood as
she rounded each corner. Rana’s heart slammed against her ribs. Her skin
prickled as an unseen shadowy presence settled over her. Though her eyes
couldn’t prove it, her sixth sense picked up on every labored breath and every
stealth movement.
She wasn’t alone.
Rana quickly checked each aisle before returning to the
front. Five more minutes. She stared at the clock on the wall willing the hands
to move faster. She usually didn’t worry about being alone in the store, but
tonight fear played tricks on her mind. She couldn’t wait to lock the door. She
opened the cash drawer and began placing the money into the bag. She punched a
button on the register to run the daily report. The noisy hum grated on her
nerves in the otherwise silent store. She glanced back at the clock. Two
minutes. The register spit out the report, and she placed it in the bag
alongside the money. She leaned down and opened the safe underneath the
counter.
The bell on the front door jingled. Rana’s head shot up. She
looked around the store. Nothing. A soft breeze brushed through her hair. She
swallowed. The fans were already off, yet something had rustled her hair —
something that felt like someone had just walked past her. Fear gripped her
heart. She shoved the bag in the safe and shut it. She gave the combination
lock a quick turn to secure it. Her nerves jittered.
Eight o’clock.
Finally.
Rana checked each aisle once more then hurried to the door
and locked it. She turned around and let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Alexandru stood behind her dressed in a black shirt and
snug-fitting black jeans. Jeans that emphasized his sexy, muscled form. Rana
swallowed. Despite her shock of finding him in her store, her body wasn’t
immune to the tsunami of sex appeal that rolled off him in tidal waves. “What
are you doing here? You scared the daylights out of me.”
“I wanted to see
them screamed and ran the other way. The other — a petite blonde with heavy
makeup and a tight honey-colored mini-skirt — stood transfixed, unable to move.
With hypnotic eyes, Alexandru beckoned the woman to him. She came. With careful
control, he planted submissive thoughts in her mind until she tilted her head
and allowed him full access to her lifeline.
Alexandru lowered his head, fangs lengthening, and punctured
the pulse point throbbing at the nape of her neck. The woman sighed and sagged
against him. He drank hungrily. Greedily. The sweet, coppery liquid warmed his
throat. Still he thirsted. He took more and more, but nothing satiated his
hunger. He stopped just short of taking the woman’s life. His blood turned to
ice. He had only killed once before, and he had never forgiven himself for it.
He would not do it again. Alexandru hated killing. Now, he rarely took a victim
— and for those he did take he never took more from them than they could handle
— choosing, instead, to feed at The Voodoo Den and the occasional blood bank.
But seeing Rana last night had unleashed primal desires he no longer could
control. He wanted her. Always had and always would. Even if it meant his
death. Disgusted with himself, Alexandru lifted his head and set the woman
down. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and with a sweep of his
arm erased the woman’s memory. She would never know she had been his victim. He
turned on his heel and disappeared into the night, leaving the stunned woman
gasping for breath. Only one thing would satisfy him now.
Rana.
Something watched her. Rana could feel its presence inside
the small bookstore. There were no customers and she only had a few minutes
left until closing time. She shot a look toward the glass door.
Nothing.
The streetlight outside flickered on just as the moon rose
above the cypress tree alongside her building.
She straightened the display center and returned two books
to a shelf at the back of the store. The hairs on the back of her neck stood as
she rounded each corner. Rana’s heart slammed against her ribs. Her skin
prickled as an unseen shadowy presence settled over her. Though her eyes
couldn’t prove it, her sixth sense picked up on every labored breath and every
stealth movement.
She wasn’t alone.
Rana quickly checked each aisle before returning to the
front. Five more minutes. She stared at the clock on the wall willing the hands
to move faster. She usually didn’t worry about being alone in the store, but
tonight fear played tricks on her mind. She couldn’t wait to lock the door. She
opened the cash drawer and began placing the money into the bag. She punched a
button on the register to run the daily report. The noisy hum grated on her
nerves in the otherwise silent store. She glanced back at the clock. Two
minutes. The register spit out the report, and she placed it in the bag
alongside the money. She leaned down and opened the safe underneath the
counter.
The bell on the front door jingled. Rana’s head shot up. She
looked around the store. Nothing. A soft breeze brushed through her hair. She
swallowed. The fans were already off, yet something had rustled her hair —
something that felt like someone had just walked past her. Fear gripped her
heart. She shoved the bag in the safe and shut it. She gave the combination
lock a quick turn to secure it. Her nerves jittered.
Eight o’clock.
Finally.
Rana checked each aisle once more then hurried to the door
and locked it. She turned around and let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Alexandru stood behind her dressed in a black shirt and
snug-fitting black jeans. Jeans that emphasized his sexy, muscled form. Rana
swallowed. Despite her shock of finding him in her store, her body wasn’t
immune to the tsunami of sex appeal that rolled off him in tidal waves. “What
are you doing here? You scared the daylights out of me.”
“I wanted to see
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