Part 4 (2/2)

Her attacker was a beefy vampire she'd never seen before. ”You'll pay for that, b.i.t.c.h! You were told not to mess with things that aren't your business.” Fury lit his eyes as he limped toward her, his body radiating menace.

Her body screamed in pain as she forced herself to move away. Warily keeping an eye on him, she continued to wipe at her face to keep the blood from her eyes. She sighted the bloodl.u.s.t in his eyes and the glint of light off his extended incisors. The scent of her blood and fear had pushed him into that state where vampires think of one thing and one thing only-feeding.

Gritting her teeth, she swore to herself that if she survived the night, she'd kick Graciella Stryker's a.s.s personally.

Cursing herself for keeping the alley clean to avoid rats, she futilely scanned the area around herself for weapons. She found nothing.

But there was no way she was giving up. Making her mind up, she decided she'd have to make a run for it. Knowing the door back into the club had locked behind her, she knew her only option was to make a run for it. Past him to the street. He'd be faster, but if she could get to the mouth of the alley, there might be people out front who could help. He had the limp but wouldn't for much longer as he'd already begun to heal.

She feinted left and then made a break for it, screaming over and over as she ran towards the entrance of the alley. The light was there, taunting her, its yellow glow calling out freedom and safety. But it all faded as his hand caught her upper arm in a vise-like grip, and he brought her down to the pavement.

Just before everything went black, she saw the glint of light off his teeth as his head lowered to her throat.

Chapter Five.

Air rushed into her lungs, and she woke up with a scream on her lips. Her eyes opened, and she was still blind as she scrabbled, attempting to sit up. An arm banded about her waist, and a voice told her to be calm. Blinking her eyes to clear her sight, the world s.h.i.+fted and fell into place. Her nausea pa.s.sed, and she looked toward the voice.

Those ice blue eyes, worried, stared back at her. ”Are you all right, love? Lissie? Darling?”

She thought about it for a few moments, mentally touring through her body. ”I guess so.” The memories began to return, and a hand went to her throat, but there was no bandage.

”What? Why isn't there a wound? A bandage? I know he ripped my throat out.” She gasped. ”Oh my G.o.d! Have I been in a coma or something?”

Stryker put his head in her lap, and his arms encircled her waist as he hugged her tightly. ”Oh sweetheart, I thought I'd lost you. Lissette, it was so close. If I hadn't been coming to the club right as you were screaming, right as he was attacking you...” his voice trailed off, choked with emotion.

”You saved me?” Her hands stroked through his silky hair, over his shoulders, overjoyed at being alive, at his touch. ”Thank you. But what happened?”

A cramp hit then, and she grabbed her stomach, curling into herself. Wonderful. What a time to have her period.

After the pain eased a bit, she looked up, and saw that she was in his house. In his bed. In his room. ”Uh, Stryker, how long was I out? Why am I not in a hospital? And why aren't you telling me what happened?”

”You've been out for two days. You didn't need a hospital. We've been watching you here.”

”Two days? And my neck is totally fine, why?” She suddenly remembered his brother. ”Alex! Oh my G.o.d, where is he?” She tried to get out of bed, but he shook his head and held her there.

”He's fine. Safe. He's with Dominic and several of my men at a secure location. I didn't want to take a chance and have him stay at your house in case the attack had something to do with his being in town.”

”In case? You are so obtuse! Of course it had to do with him. It was your mother! How long are you going to live in denial about this?” She slammed her hand down on the bedside table in frustration. Only to find herself staring, shocked at the splintered ruins as it fell apart under the force.

Surprise rushed through her, stilling everything in her head. It was as if someone else was watching the gash in her hand heal as if by magic.

Time returned to its normal flow as it became crystal clear just why she had no wound on her neck. Turning to Xander, she managed to find words, even if they were spoken in a harsh whisper. ”You converted me!”

He was on his knees on the bed, his hands in the air in front of him. ”I know you hadn't totally agreed yet, but there was no way around it. You were dying! He'd torn your throat out. You'd lost too much blood. Oh G.o.d, sweetheart, you were ... it was such a mess.” His eyes flashed with fear and panic as he remembered the way she'd looked. ”You were so pale. White as moonlight. Your pulse was fading. There was...” his voice broke a moment. He cleared his throat. ”There was no time. No time to get you to the emergency room, and they couldn't have saved you anyway.” He took her wrist, bringing it to his lips and brushed them over her fluttering pulse. ”It was convert you or let you die, and there is no way I am prepared to live without you.”

Lissie had never seen him that way. Vulnerable. Emotionally raw and exposed. She felt his panic, heard the fear of losing her and in that moment his love, too. There was no shutting that out. In that moment every last wall she had against him fell. What defense could there be against the kind of love that risked everything to keep her alive and at his side? Her fury at losing her humanity drained away. How could she be angry that he wanted to save her life?

Taking a deep breath, she let it go as she exhaled. The regrets, the anger-they did her no good. She was alive, and he was there. ”It's okay. I understand. And I'm grateful, Xander. You saved me.” She sent him a rea.s.suring smile.

Still, the unreality of the whole experience hit her. ”Wow, I'm a vampire? Is that why I'm so d.a.m.ned cold? And why am I having period cramps?” Wincing, she rubbed her stomach. ”I thought at least I'd be PMS and period free once I changed. Tell me the bonuses again?”

He looked slightly horrified that she'd discussed her ”female problems” with him, and she stifled a grin. ”The cramp is the hunger. You need to feed.”

He got up and spoke to someone in the hallway. Shortly thereafter, three people came into the room-one of his harem, who looked significantly less arrogant than she usually did, and a woman and man she'd seen as daylight security.

”I'm going to go first, sweetheart. Watch me.” Xander leaned toward his donor, and she pushed herself against him eagerly. Lissette was up and standing quicker than she'd even thought of doing it. She pulled the woman back and got in her face. ”Oh uh-uh. There'll be no more of that, honey. There's a new sheriff in town, and she says you'll be giving him your wrist.” An eyebrow arched up, and she dared the hoochie to say one word.

Wisely, the donor held her tongue but did send a pout in Xander's direction. Lissie noticed his attempt to stifle a smile. Oh, he had a great many lessons to learn now that he'd converted her, and she was going to be around more. Starting with the harem. Snorting in amus.e.m.e.nt, he took the woman's wrist, feeding quickly before turning to Lissette.

”It's all pretty basic. All you need to do is think about feeding, and your incisors will come out.” He stroked a hand over her hair.

Hunger rode her as she felt her incisors lengthen while he spoke. Nodding, she flashed them at him, and he chuckled.

”That's the way, Sweet.” Stryker held his hand out to the man who came to kneel at her feet.

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