Page 34 of Bullets and Blood (Hunting Hearts #1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

When Lance woke it was still dark. He sat up, his head pounding and his body aching like he’d been run over. He remembered the fight and admitting he was in love. The rest came back in a swoop that made his stomach turn. He scrambled up.

The clearing was empty.

No phones, no weapons, no clothes.

No sign that Nix had even been there.

“You fucker.” He stalked back to the car park, but of course the car was gone too. He snarled, and something in the bush scurried away.

“You suicidal dickhead!” he shouted. Then he forced himself to breathe.

The pressure in the roof of his mouth felt as if he was growing fangs, ready to tear someone a new one. He wasn’t, but the mechanism was there, ready to be used should he ever get blooded.

If he didn’t show up, his family would send someone to hunt him down. He was doomed no matter what. Nix was being a hero for no reason.

First, he had to walk out of here, then he had a few phone calls to make. He patted his pocket. His wallet was in the car.

Fuck me.

He gazed up at the stars wishing they had the answers. He needed to get better taste in men. This is why he stuck to random hook ups with humans. Hook ups never messed up his life. Baggage stayed safely stowed and he never had to deal with a relationship that was never going to work.

He stalked down the track toward the main road, alternately cursing Nix and stressing about him facing his aunt alone. He didn’t want to think about him being hurt and in pain, but those thoughts kept pushing their way through.

Parked at the intersection was his car. He jogged over, but it was empty, the keys tossed on the floor and his wallet on the passenger seat. He opened the glove box. His cheap phone was there. He pulled it out and kissed it.

The worry that had been a knot in his gut loosened. He could do this.

All he had to do was rescue his boyfriend so he could be the one to kill him.