Page 50 of Kiss of the Vampire

The hint of gold was a warning to others, Levka and his kind were ancients and had lived for so many years that others of their kind normally revered them. Except for the ancients who had been older in human years when they’d turned. Most of them still felt the “younger” ones like Levka and his friends were too rebellious.

“Levka,” Caitlin said, trying to pull him to a stop. “What’s the matter? You’re running my legs off.”

“I’m sorry.” But he was afraid he didn’t sound like it at all. Brusque, determined, worried was more like it. He hurried her to his stateroom. He had to let the others know the situation he was in. No way would he let the other vampire have her. Had Vlad gotten permission from his league to make her his?

Levka wouldn’t allow it.

The others were gone when Levka walked into his stateroom with Caitlin. “I’m not sure how to tell you about any of this,” he said.

“Can I use your bathroom?” she asked.

He raised his brows.

She smiled. “I don’t like to use public restrooms.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

As soon as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door, Ruric entered their stateroom. “Did you get her?”

Levka waved his hand at the bathroom.

Ruric nodded.

Then Stasio and Arman opened the door to the suite. “You won’t believe who’s here now,” Stasio said, his blue eyes hard, his lips thinned.

“Vlad,” Levka said.

“Vlad? Who is he?” Arman asked. “Oh, the guy that was seeing Caitlin?”

“Who were you talking about?” Levka asked.

“The tracker or whoever he is. The guy who followed us here from Atlanta,” Arman said, sounding exasperated.

Caitlin walked out of the bathroom, and everyone looked at her.

Ruric said privately to his friends, “What’s going on, Levka?”

“I have to tell her.”

“It looks like we’re going to a funeral,” Caitlin said. “Who died?”

“She’s a live one.” Ruric sat on the end of one of the beds.

“Have a seat, will you, Caitlin?” Levka motioned to the floral sofa.

“You can’t tell her what we are,” Arman warned.

Stasio pulled the desk chair around, facing the others, and sat. “History repeats itself.”

“Maybe this time the future will be better,” Ruric said.

Arman sat down on the other bed, but didn’t say another word.

“You said you knew we were different, Caitlin,” Levka began. “How did you know this?”

She shifted on the sofa to get comfortable. “You have long hair and often wear it in ponytails. All of you. Sure, some guys your age do, but it just kind of struck me as odd. On the other hand, maybe it wasn’t so much that, but that I’d known Vlad before this, and he was like you guys.”

Everyone exchanged glances.