Page 48 of Inhuman Nature

“Deal?”

“Yeah. Why don’t Rake and I just go to his house duringthe day and set it on fire?”

Shaun widened his eyes. The casual way DJ suggested committing murder by arson was both terrifying and yet so whollyDJ.

“We’re not burning down a building, Deej. Especially as it’s one of those big houses a few streets back from the beach, right? There’s no way we’d get away with that,” Rake said. “It would set the entire street alight.”

“Now who’s Edward Cullen-ing who?” Shaun asked. “You know where I live?”

“I spoke to one of the other Doms to get some information on Lawrence,” Rake said, with no hint of bashfulness.

“Okay, so no house burning, but what if we sneak in and take him out?” DJ accompanied the suggestion with a slit-your-throat gesture.

“Vampire instincts would kick in if you tried to shank him in his sleep. That’s how I stayed up for so long this morning,” Shaun explained, before getting sidetracked when DJ prodded him in the side, making him yelp. “What was that for?”

DJ gave him a cheeky grin. “Checking your ‘vampire instincts’.”

“You’re not a threat to me.”

“I can be threatening.” DJ protested.

“You’re about as threatening as a stuffed teddy bear.”

“Personally, I’d consider myself to be more of a cub, but I’ll take teddy bear.”

Shaun smiled, but it faltered when he looked out the window again. Lawrence might be out there now, trying to find him. It wouldn’t take long to trace the scent of his blood to the flat.

“We still have to make a plan of action,” Rake said.

Shaun frowned. “What’s all this talk of ‘plans’ and ‘we’? I should make a break for it, and you two should stay inside. I’d advise not to go back to the club again, either. Lawrence will suspect you both of helping me.”

DJ’s hand came up to rest on Shaun’s shoulder. “We’re not leaving you to face him alone.”

Shaun shot up off the sofa, pacing back and forth. “Neither of you can do anything to stop him. He’s a vampire. You’re human. If you can’t kill him whilst he sleeps, you certainly won’t be able to when he’s awake.”

DJ started counting on his fingers. “Stakes. Garlic. Fire. Silver bullets. Beheading. Holy water. I’ve watched Buffy, remember? I know how to defend against a vampire. Ooh, Bazooka. That’s another one.”

Shaun shoved his hands into his hair and started pulling at the strands. “Half of those don’t kill vampires, and most of them aren’t even from Buffy. Also, silver bullets are famously for werewolves!”

“I’m well overdue a rewatch,” DJ said, infuriatingly agreeable. “Do werewolves even exist?”

“Yes, but you’re missing the point. Lawrence is dangerous. He told me he killed the vampires he recreated before when he no longer wanted them. The only chance I have of surviving him is to run.”

“I’m so sorry, Shaun. Is there nobody else you can ask for help?” DJ’s eyes were misty, and it took everything in Shaun not to go to him. But he needed to stay strong and make his point.

“No,” he said, resolute.

“There are no other vampires in Brighton?” Rake asked, incredulous.

Lynette and her contingent of creations came to mind, but rank within the small number of British vampires wasn’t something Shaun knew much about, given that Lawrence was so insular. Shaun supposed he could go to Lynette in her role as territory leader for help. He didn’t think it would do much good, however. Besides, Lawrence had reminded him often that because he’d been the one to recreate Shaun, he had every right to remove him from existence should he see fit.

“You’re considering something,” Rake said, interrupting Shaun’s train of thought.

Shaun lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “It doesn’t matter. Me staying here puts you in danger. I won’t have that on my conscience.”

“I suppose if talking you out of leaving doesn’t work, then we ought to take another approach,” Rake said evenly as he stood from the sofa.

Shaun stayed rooted to the spot as Rake moved towards him. He had to stretch his neck back to look up at Rake as he got in close.