Page 97 of The Vampire's Seduction

The black SUV was on its side, its roof bent inward from crashing into the pole. Had she really survived that? It was pure chance her side hadn’t hit the pole.

“I’ll let you live, witch, if you release me now.”

Cold fingers of death skittered down Olivia’s spine, and she shivered. Stubbornly, she kept her face turned away from the thing that spoke.

“Like I’m going to trust you,” Andrea retorted with her arms crossed.

Olivia’s eyes caught an arm sticking out of the SUV’s window. She tugged on Marek’s shirt. “Leah! Is Leah all right?”

Marek brushed back her wayward hair and kissed her on the forehead. Olivia resisted the urge to cry at his tenderness. When she had been in the car, she thought she’d heard him mentally, had felt his utter rage and desperation. Had she imagined it because she’d wanted Marek to save her?

“She’s fine,” Marek said. “The bullet grazed her shoulder. She had some vampire blood and is completely healed.”

“Thank God.” Then her head tilted as something he said hit her. “You fed me vampire blood too.”

It wasn’t a question, but he nodded. “Yes. You were bleeding out.”

That explained her supernatural senses. She’d read all about VB’s effect on humans when ingested but hadn’t experienced it herself.

The hair on the back of her neck rose as she caught the flashes of light reflected in the building’s windows across the street. Andrea stumbled with a groan. All the vampires, including Marek, froze when Andrea’s nose bled.

The same voice again, so dark and terrible, chuckled, “You won’t be able to hold me forever, witch.”

“He’s right,” Andrea said, wiping away the blood on her sleeve. “His power will outlast the shield.”

“Can you move him?” Marek asked.

“Only if you knock him out. I can create a stronger and more permanent circle, but it’ll take time and you’ll have to move him.”

As much as Olivia enjoyed being held, it felt ridiculous to be coddled while they dealt with her problem. She tapped Marek’s chest. “You can put me down now.”

Marek scowled. “I’m not letting you go.”

Part of her agreed with him. Olivia said, “Please? I’ll lean on you, happy?”

He didn’t look happy, but he lowered her to her feet. She also made good on her promise and leaned her weight against him. Though she didn’t tell him, she wanted to be as close to him as possible.

Olivia turned to face the being adamant on killing her. The humans who’d kidnapped her from the mall had wanted her alive. She’d been afraid but not terrified. Whoever this was truly wished to end her life.

The trapped creature with gray skin, gold eyes edged in black, and silvery hair, looked nothing like the drop-dead gorgeous man who’d popped into the backseat out of nowhere. He’d even smiled at her and told her he was here to save her before changing his tune the next second.

She’d seen murder in his eyes and had jumped out of the way, avoiding his dagger at the last second. Screams and shouts had erupted as her kidnappers tussled with him until her entire world had flipped over again and again.

Those feral eyes zeroed in on her, and Olivia wished again to disappear into the ground. Marek’s arm tightened protectively around her, his strength flooding into her. Their unresolved issues wouldn’t prevent them from facing this new threat together.

Together. Her heart swelled with a strange yet warm feeling. She wasn’t alone anymore.

“You should not be alive,” the monster said in a haughty tone. Olivia stiffened. She’d heard that tone way too often from her male colleagues.

“Too bad that’s not up to you.”

Her knees trembled from his vicious growl. He stepped forward until his face almost touched the glowing barrier. “You are a danger to us all. I should’ve known your bloodline wasn’t extinguished.”

Her mouth dried. “My bloodline? What do you know about my family?”

Before he could answer, another vampire landed on Marek’s other side. He was huge, his naked chest defined with ridges of muscle. His eyes, when it swept over them, were a pale icicle blue. The harsh slant of his brows combined with the heavy-set bone structure gave him a savage look, like he could murder them all without hesitation. If Olivia tried, she could see the waves of power wafting from him like on other vampires, except his dwarfed everyone else, including Marek.

Julian Blackmore. The recognition smacked her in the face. This was Leah’s mate?