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her to live with it.
Sid got into his bathrobe and went to get the door. That s when I saw Jake for the first
time.
He didn t say much, just asked if Sid had his money. I have no idea how he knew
where he was. I didn t know if he knew about me, but he didn t seem to care. Didn t check
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the room or look around at all. He just asked about money. Sid said he needed time. And
that s when Jake took out a gun.
I was terrified. I don t think I breathed until it was all over. Until Jake left and Sid was
dead. I saw him. Saw him backhand Sid with the gun. Sid fell across the bed and Jake just
upped and fired. One bullet in the forehead, right between his eyes. That was it. A single pop
and he was dead.
Johan sat quietly, still stroking her arms and thigh with his free hand.
Jake left then. If I d just stayed put for a little longer, he never would have known I
was there. I freaked and got out of there as soon as Jake had gone. I didn t even get into my
clothes until I was out in the parking lot.
That s when I saw Jake sitting in his car. He looked right at me and I must have looked
like the devil was chasing me. He got out and came towards me. That was enough for me
and I ran.
You re sure he saw you? Johan asked, and knew immediately what a dumb question
it was. Never mind, of course he did. Why else would he hire two goons to rough you up?
I m not sure they were supposed to do any roughing up, she said, thoughtfully. I
think they were just supposed to find me and deliver me to the man.
And they just decided to take a little time alone with you. Johan s anger rose. The
bastards.
Take a breath, Johan, Petre said in a soothing voice. Can t change the past, but we
can do something about the future.
True, and we did do quite a number on those two. Miranda, I seem to remember you
got in a decent kick to that fat slob s jollies.
Miranda smiled, obviously remembering the moment. Yeah, it was a lucky kick, but it
sure felt good.
Okay, that s why they grabbed you and we now know about this Jake Goodman
character. He s the one who snatched you off the street, right? Johan asked.
Yeah, he s the one.
Any idea how he found you? Petre joined in.
No, none at all. She frowned.
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He s probably got ears and eyes all over the city. Bets are one of them spotted you and
called it in. Johan eased his arm out and turned over onto his stomach. Sliding down, he
rested his elbows on the bed and his face on his raised hands. Looking up at her, he again
had that feeling of her being someone extraordinary, someone quite special.
I didn t see anyone. But I didn t exactly look either. She looked down at him, her long
lashes veiling her eyes. I guess it was a pretty dumb thing to do, leaving here, I mean.
Not dumb, but maybe not too smart. But, it s like Petre said, we can t change what s
happened.
Jake beat me something terrible. I mean, I ve had some bad johns in my time, but he
liked what he was doing.
That s not all he did. Johan wanted her to remember it all. He didn t want to push
her, but he needed her to remember what he d done.
I know. I know. She looked past him, deep in thought for a moment. It hurt so
much, what he did. When it stopped, I thought that was it.
It could have been it, the end, he whispered.
I died, didn t I? Her eyes were enormous, blue like the sea, unblinking.
Yes, you died. And I couldn t let you go, he confessed.
The bed moved, and he glanced over at Petre, who was joining him on his belly. One on
either side of Miranda, they could comfort her or caress her.
Neither one of us wanted to lose you, Petre added and, leaning forward, pressed his
lips to just below Miranda s breast.
Then what I thought was a dream, really wasn t.
I m not sure what you saw, Johan said. I thought you were unconscious, but&
I was, sort of, mostly. She shuddered but didn t seem like she was going to fall apart.
I was flying. You& both of you, you changed. Cocking her head, she looked down at him,
confused.
Yes, he admitted, and then went on. You ve heard the legends about vampires?
Yes& No, that can t be. That s only stories, fairy tales. She shook her head.
Yes, stories, legends, fables. And very true. Johan looked away, concentrated for a
moment and felt his fangs lengthen. When he looked back at her, he knew she d see him for
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the blood drinker he was at least partially. He smiled, showing her the needle-sharp
incisors pressed against his lower lip. His eyes, too, would be different, hypnotic.
Her hand went to her mouth. She didn t say anything, but her thoughts must have been
going wild. He d just told her something impossible, but it was something she had to know
was true.
He looked over at Petre and saw his fangs against his lip and the deeply haunted look
in his eyes. Johan wanted to hug the man, his lover of decades, but they needed to bring her
across first. She had to understand.
This is insane, she whispered, her eyes going from one of them to the other.
Yes, it is, Johan agreed. But it s true, and you know it. Deep down, you remember
what I did to you.
She closed her eyes, no doubt wanting it all to disappear, yet knowing it wouldn t.
When she opened them again, she seemed almost calm. Is that why I can see you both so
well? Why I can smell things I ve never smelt before?
Yes, he hissed. And there s more, so much more.
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Chapter Eight
Oh my god! Miranda whispered.
Johan knew he d turned her world turned upside down. He didn t have any choice. If
they wanted to find Jake, he had to find out where he was and what he d done to her. This
was the fastest way and, no doubt, the roughest for her.
He leaned forward and, with his lips covering his fangs, kissed her just below her breast
as Petre had done, continued to do, on her other side. He watched her nipples rise to stiff
little nubbins and would have loved to scoot up and suckle, but refrained.
We re not going to hurt you, my sweet. I ll explain everything to you we will, Petre
and I and we ll make sure you know all that you need to.
Miranda looked down at him, her mouth working but nothing came out.
Johan bit back a chuckle. The surprise was enormous, but part of his pleasure came
from that as well. He didn t turn many, so when he did, it was a special occasion. He wanted
to spring up and swing her out of bed, dance around the room with her, and fuck her silly.
But he dared not, at least not yet.
Take a breath, he said in a soft, convincing voice.
She blinked at him, then inhaled deeply. A habit she d keep for awhile, he hoped as he
eyed her rising tits. When the breath was gone, she took another stab at speaking.
You re& you re vampires.
Yes. Johan nodded.
This is insane! She pushed him, rolling him off the bed.
He landed with a thud. Shocked, he lay on the floor, looking up at her as she slid from
the bed and stormed out of the room. As soon as she d cleared the doorway, Johan heard a
soft chuckling coming from the other side of the bed. Petre.
Fuck! he growled and climbed to his feet.
The laughter increased, and when Johan scowled at his lover, the man promptly fell off
the bed, his howls of merriment obviously getting the better of him. That led to Johan
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chuckling and quickly to a good belly laugh when Petre poked his head up over the side of
the bed, rubbing his noggin.
Oh shut up, Petre said, but the smile on his face led to even more laughter.
When you ve finished clowning around, I think we better find out how she is, don t
you? Johan admonished.
Yeah, I know, Petre finally managed to speak without laughing. She s going to be all
right. I can feel it.
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