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“What?” She was nearly running to keep up with him, and her shoulders bumped into people left and right. “Cain, what’s happening?”

A vampire stepped in front of Cain. One of the blonds who’d talked to her at the bar. His eyes were black. His teeth were sharp and glinting. “Not leaving already, are you, shifter?”

Hell.

“And certainly not with my new little friend.”

Miranda stepped to Cain’s side. Offered a tight smile. “Changed my mind. Decided I’d like to stick with the animal after all.”

His eyes became slits of black rage. “Too bad. I’ve decided I want a taste and⁠—”

Cain moved in a blur. Wrapped his right hand around the vampire’s throat and lifted him off the floor. “I’m not in the mood for this shit,” he snarled and tossed the vamp across the room.

The music stopped. All eyes flew to them. There was a rough scraping as chairs were shoved back. Vampires lurched forward.

“Let them go.” Sullivan’s voice. Ringing through the crowd. Freezing all the vamps.

Miranda craned her neck, straining to see him. Where was he?

There. He was sitting at a table, two women on either side of him. One, a redhead, had blood slowly dripping down her neck, and she wore an expression of pure ecstasy. He leaned toward her, licked up the drops, then his head lifted again. “For tonight, and only tonight, they have my protection.”

None of the vampires moved and Miranda realized that the Sullivan guy wasn’t just your average vamp. He had power, a lot of it.

Then Cain was pulling her outside—jeez, again with the pulling. Like she wouldn’t have gladly run out of that pit of hell on her own steam.

The fresh air hit her face, driving out the scents of booze and blood. Their car waited just feet away. They jumped inside. Cain revved the engine, and they raced down the street.

* * *

Paul Roberts watched the taillights disappear down the road. His Miranda had joined with the shifter. A pity.

Now she was trying to hunt him. That wasn’t the way the game was played. No, not at all. Miranda was prey. Food. Not a hunter.

He should have killed her that first night. If only that damn animal hadn’t come running to her rescue.

But the shifter wouldn’t be able to protect her forever. No, there would be a time when she was alone. Vulnerable. There always was.

And he’d strike then. Make her beg for death.

Then he’d go after the animal. It was rumored that shifter blood was more powerful than anything else on earth. Because of the two spirits the beasts carried. A man’s. An animal’s.

He’d find out if that rumor was true when he sank his teeth into the shifter’s throat and gorged on his blood.

Oh, but death could be so wonderfully sweet.

Time to start his hunt.

And he knew just where to begin.

* * *

Miranda and Cain didn’t drive back to Cherryville. Instead, they went to the hotel room that Cain had booked for them. The minute the bellman closed the door and exited the room, Cain sucked in a deep breath. He knew what was coming.

“Just what the hell,” Miranda demanded in a tone that seethed, “was that vampire talking about? What does it mean to be linked? And whatever it is, you’d better tell me that I am not linked to Paul.”

Oh, but she was beautiful. Cheeks flushed. Eyes bright. He wanted to kiss her.

Strip her.