Love Bites (Bitten Book 4) (15 page)

“I finally convinced Conner to let me out of the safe house for a night. He didn’t want to but I told him I was either getting out with his men on my tail, or without them.”

I smirked at the thought of Shannon trying to give the vamps the slip. She saw it and smacked me on the shoulder.

“Don’t doubt my abilities, woman. I’ve learned a few things about vampires and werewolves in the past few weeks.” She chuckled. “Actually, there’s some big meeting here tonight and all the vamps who were babysitting me were called to attendance. I begged to stay over for a night so I could see you and Donna. Then I’m right back to my hidey hole tomorrow.”

I knew what she was referring to. Calder had received a call early this morning from Lach. Conner and Donna were returning from their trip and had news to share.

“Well, then let’s make the most of it. You want a cup of coffee?”

“Sure. I also want all the dirty details about you and your sexy wolf.”

My face heated and she laughed.

“Obviously it’s going well,” she teased.

“Shut up.”

Shannon ignored me and giggled behind me as I led her into the kitchen. Rather than brew an entire pot, I used Conner’s Nespresso to make us each a cup of strong coffee.

“It’s a gorgeous day. Why don’t we sit outside and drink this and talk?” Shannon suggested.

“That sounds great, but just remember that there are vampires standing guard all over the property.”

She read between the lines and nodded. “So not too many details, huh?”

“Yep.”

With a shrug, she exited the kitchen, heading toward the rear of the house. “I’ll take what I can get. It’s gotta be more entertaining than what I’ve been doing the last two weeks.”

I followed her. “What’s that?”

“Playing Texas Hold’em with a bunch of guys with fangs. I’d already won enough money off of them to take a nice trip to Europe next summer before they decided to stop playing for real money.”

I stared at her with wide eyes. “You’ve been winning? How is that possible? They can read your mind and hear your heartbeat. Hell, they can probably smell it when you break a sweat!”

She laughed and didn’t say anything else. Not for the first time, I wondered exactly what Shannon did at the security firm where she worked. Her job title was administrative assistant, but surely an office worker wouldn’t have such tight control over her body and instinctive responses. Plus there was the .40 caliber pistol she carried everywhere. It might have a pink grip, but it could pack a mean punch. Once after a girls’ night out, a drunk guy had gotten too friendly with her and she’d taken him down without even messing up her hair.

Shannon held the back door open for me and we walked over to a huge couch and lounge sectional. Only Conner would have outdoor furniture that rivaled the comfort of that in his living room.

“Okay, so spill,” she demanded after we settled onto the cushions.

I angled my body toward hers and sipped my coffee. “No, thank you. Spilling coffee is a tragic waste.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Tell me what’s going on with Calder.”

I didn’t know why I was hesitating to tell her about everything that happened. Well, I did. It felt private, like something that belonged to just Calder and me. Sharing it meant that our relationship would be exposed to reality and I worried that the harsh light of day would stir up my insecurities all over again.

“Well, the day after Calder took me to the MacIntire pack compound, we had lunch with Kerry, Finn, Lachlan and Belinda. I was still pretty pissed off, so I told Kerry I wanted to stay somewhere else. There was a bunch of drama, but Conner came and brought me back here. When I came downstairs the next morning, Calder was in the kitchen. He’s been staying here with me.”

“Damn, that’s some tenacity there,” she murmured. “So, how do you feel about the Wolf Man now?”

I made a face at her little nickname for him. “I don’t know. I mean, I like him. A lot. But he’s so intense, Shannon. Then there’s this whole issue with the fact that his pack probably won’t accept me as long as I’m human.” I laughed harshly. “They probably wouldn’t even accept me if I agreed for Calder to turn me. Apparently, humans or werewolves who were once human are beneath the pure bloods.”

Shannon scowled. “Well, that’s just bullshit. What did Calder say?”

I drained my rapidly cooling coffee. “He said he would protect me against anyone who tried to hurt me, even his own pack.”

She nodded. “That’s good.”

I shrugged. “I guess.”

“I hear that silent
but
.”

“He basically told me they’re gonna say horrible things to me, Shannon. And I just have to take it because I can’t defend myself. I seriously doubt that they would have the balls to do it in front of Calder, and if I’m alone, I’m not strong enough to take on a werewolf!”

Shannon placed her hand over mine. “That does suck.” Squeezing lightly, she asked, “Do you think it’s worth breaking up with Calder?”

“I don’t think so, but it’s easy to say that when I don’t have some skinny bitch with a perfect ass in my face.”

I smiled a little as Shannon laughed. Suddenly, she stopped, staring out into the trees at the back of the property.

“What is it?” I asked.

She glanced back at me, smiling. “Nothing. I just thought I saw something.” She lifted her coffee mug to her lips. After a sip, she scowled. “Ugh. Cold coffee. Let’s go inside and get a fresh cup.”

I nodded and we both stood and went inside the house. I frowned at Shannon as she locked the back door behind us, grabbed my elbow, and started ushering me toward the kitchen.

“What the hell, Shannon?” I asked, bewildered by her actions.

In a low whisper, she answered, “There are a bunch of vampires loitering at the back of the property and I only recognize two of them. They were also going to great lengths to remain unseen. It made the back of my neck tingle. I’m going to call the guard house.”

My heart kicked up a notch at her words, but I took a deep breath in an effort to stay calm. It could be nothing.

Shannon picked up the phone in the kitchen and pressed the speed dial for the guard house. I wrapped my arms around my waist, staring at her as she waited for someone to answer. No one did. Finally, she hung up.

“Shit,” she whispered, moving to her purse on the counter.

I watched her with wide eyes as she pulled her gun out of her purse and another clip of bullets. “Oh my God.”

She tucked it in the pocket of her hoodie before she yanked her cell phone out of her bag and shoved it in the back pocket of her jeans. Her face was tight and stern when she looked back up at me. “We need to get to the basement.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreact…” A loud boom echoed through the house and I jumped. “Holy shit! What was that?”

“I think they just breached the back door.” She hooked her left hand over my forearm, her pistol no longer looking cute and pink in her right. “Follow me, do what I say, and stay low. They have the advantage here. Our goal is to get the hell away.”

I nodded once and let her guide me out of the kitchen. She turned to the left, obviously intent on heading down to the basement, but the sound of hushed voices drifted from the back of the house. I didn’t resist when she yanked me to the right and we darted across the foyer to the stairs. Thank God they were carpeted.

I tried not to gasp or pant as we moved quickly and quietly up the steps, glad I was wearing only a soft pair of slippers instead of tennis shoes. Though she was wearing boots, Shannon managed to move soundlessly.

My heart was pounding as we hit the upstairs hallway, moving swiftly past my room. Shannon opened the door to Conner and Donna’s bedroom, pulling me inside. She shut the door and locked it. I wanted to shove a dresser in front of it, but when I headed toward it, she shook her head and gestured toward the closet.

I did as she wanted and ducked into the master closet. She followed me inside and closed and locked the door behind us as well. I didn’t see what help a flimsy little lock would do to help protect us, but Shannon lifted a finger to her lips when I opened my mouth to say something.

Shit. Silence was necessary. Even in a house this large, a vampire might hear us if we were speaking.

Shannon brushed past me, moving toward the back of the closet. I watched with wide eyes as she pressed on the back wall and a small panel popped open, revealing a keypad. She pressed a few numbers and the back wall opened on silent hinges.

Waving me forward, Shannon walked inside. I followed and gaped at the large panic room. There was a sofa, a table, and shelves full of food, water, and supplies. While Shannon shut the door behind us, I went to the back of the room. There was a small area in the corner that housed a toilet, sink, and stand-up shower. A floating wall offered privacy.

“Conner, there’s been a breach of the property.”

At the sound of Shannon’s voice, I whirled around. “Can I talk now?” I asked.

She nodded, her focus on the phone she was holding up to her ear. “How far?” She paused, listening to whatever Conner was saying in response. “I think we’ll be okay for another fifteen or twenty minutes.” Another pause. “We’re in your panic room upstairs. They cut us off from the basement.”

Her jaw was tight as she hung up the phone.

“What’s happening, Shannon?” I asked softly.

“If I had to guess, I’d say that the Faction has at least two moles in Conner’s operation and they have decided now is the best time to kill us.”

My heart, which had been pounding for the last five minutes, stopped cold. “What?”

“You and I are here alone, with only Conner’s guards to protect us. Considering at least two of the vamps I saw at the back of the property are part of his security team, I’d say that those who aren’t Faction agents are probably dead or disabled. It’s just you and me for the next twenty minutes until Conner and Lex can get here.”

“Oh fuck.”

“All we can do is wait. I don’t know if any of his men know about this panic room. If they don’t, there’s a good chance they won’t find us. If they do, they’ll probably go through the rest of the house before they come upstairs, so Conner and Lex might have time to get here before then.”

Somehow her words didn’t make me feel much better.

Shannon leaned against the wall to the right of the door, her pistol still loosely clasped in her right hand. I wandered over to the couch and sat down, putting my head in my hands. We remained silent for what felt like an eternity, just staring at the door, listening for any sound from the other side. Since the panic room was soundproofed, it wasn’t like we could hear them anyway. The silence seemed to roar as the minutes ticked by.

I shot to my feet, watching in horror, as the door began the slow swing inward. Maybe Conner had made it more quickly than he thought. My hopes were smashed to bits when I saw a vampire standing in front of me, a smug smirk on his face. I vaguely recognized him as one of Conner’s security men, though I’d never been introduced to him.

Before I could move, Shannon shot him. Right in the head. I gasped, choking on a scream, as the side of his skull exploded outward in a spray of red. My ears were still ringing from the loud crack of the gun.

“Follow me,” Shannon demanded.

Numbly, I did as she said, stumbling along behind her. She stuck her head out of the bedroom door and I could hear the rumble of footsteps moving so quickly that they sounded like a drum roll.

Rushing out of the master bedroom, Shannon snapped, “Run, Ricki. Run!”

Though my brain was having trouble processing, my body did as it was told. I sprinted down the hallway, heading toward the front staircase. Maybe I could get outside and down to the street to get help.

I heard two loud booms as Shannon’s gun went off again. I glanced over my shoulder and saw her standing in the center of the hall, her feet planted apart, two vampires motionless on the floor.

My head whipped around at the sound of swift footsteps. These guys weren’t even trying to be quiet. Another male vampire was cresting the front staircase, headed straight for me. Still moving on instinct, I lunged to the left and into the guest room I’d been using.

Two feet into the room and he was on me. Shrieking, I threw an elbow back, trying to catch him in the nose, but his arm wrapped around me from behind, pinning my arms. His other hand twisted painfully in my hair, jerking my head to the side. My stomach twisted as he dragged his tongue up my throat.

“Mmmmm. Fear has such a sweet flavor,” he hissed in my ear.

Suddenly, he stumbled, his hold on me loosening. Struggling like mad, I managed to get free, losing a hunk of hair in the process. Shannon stood behind him, a long metal rod in one hand and her pistol pointed straight at him. Somehow he dodge to one side just as she pulled the trigger, the bullet slamming into the floor.

All I could do was scream as he backhanded Shannon so hard that she flew across the room. Frantic, I looked for a weapon of some kind, but there was nothing. Even if I saw something, there was no time. Before I could draw another breath, he had me again, only this time his hand tore through my shirt and into my stomach.

I stared down at his fingers, which were buried in my abdomen to the second knuckle. Then the pain hit and I threw my head back to howl in agony.

His laugh was sinister as he looked down at me. It felt as if he were trying to rip my insides out.

My legs collapsed beneath me and I hit the ground with a thud. My entire torso felt as though it were on fire and I coughed weakly. The vampire crouched over me, looking down on me with a triumphant smile.

“I’m feeling a bit peckish, love. Let’s have a taste.”

Any other time, I would have been charmed by his British accent. At that moment, all I could think was that my angel of death sounded like Tom Hiddleston and that was incredibly unfair.

His hand gripped my chin, turning my head to one side. I felt his fingers brushing my hair away from my neck, revealing the artery throbbing beneath my skin. I closed my eyes and waited for the strike that would bring my demise.