Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [65]
Being staked had been the most terrifying experience of my life.
“I said I was sorry,” I said. “What more do you want from me?”
“That’s a very good question. Well, I suppose we can start by you telling me what it’s like to be one of the bad guys.”
“I’m not one of the bad guys!”
Her cold smile widened. “There is so much you don’t know, Sarah, and your boyfriend hasn’t even begun to fill you in on the subject. But I guess he’s too busy trying to drink your tasty blood, isn’t he? I suppose it’s only a matter of time before he finally goes completely off the wagon and tears out your throat before you can do the same to him. I’ve heard he has a bit of a problem keeping his fangs to himself when he’s around certain women.”
My eyes narrowed and I got my breath back when she invoked Thierry’s name.
“Don’t you dare mention him. I don’t know how you know what you do, but my life and his are none of your damn business.”
“I mentioned nightwalkers to you before. Have you learned anything about them?”
My attention was still focused on that stake. “Mostly that they no longer exist.”
“Nightwalkers couldn’t stand sunlight, they thirsted for blood from humans with warm flesh and beating hearts. They were repelled by crosses and holy water. And yes, they were wiped out.” The light on the lamppost above us flickered. “As a matter of fact, Thierry is the one who worked side by side with the hunters to get rid of them all, or most of them. From what I’ve learned, he was the head of some vampire faction.”
It felt colder in the park all of a sudden. Thierry was the vampire who created the Ring—the vampire council—originally, but he’d walked away from his leadership role a hundred years ago. “I don’t believe anything you say.”
“He felt that these nightwalkers were dangerous to vampire and human alike, so being the brave and noble man he was, he secretly met with the leaders of the hunters to give them information that would help to off all those nasty vamps. Maybe he was right to do that. Maybe it was for the best. But if you ask me, it kind of smacks of genocide, don’t you think? Part of his bargain was for them to leave the other vamps alone, but hunters aren’t exactly good at keeping bargains, are they?”
I crossed my arms. Even though the temperature didn’t majorly affect me anymore, I suddenly felt chilled right through to the bone. “If what you’re telling me about these nightwalkers is true, then it would be like getting rid of a bunch of cockroaches. No big loss to the world. I don’t think Thierry did the wrong thing at all.”
She shook her head. “I figured that you would try to defend his actions. God, you trust so easily, don’t you? Considering the well-known fact that he can’t control his own monster when he’s around you, it’s a bit like him throwing stones from his glass coffin with what he did to the nightwalkers, don’t you think?”
I glared at her. “You cursed me to be a nightwalker.”
She nodded. “And I’m so thrilled with how well it turned out. I’m surprised Thierry can even come near you, let alone want to bite you. He devoted years to wiping things like you off the planet.”
“I held up my end of the bargain. You’ve had your fun. Break the curse.” I heard the desperation in my voice and I didn’t like it at all. I wiped away more cold, stinging snow from my face.
She frowned. “Who said anything about a bargain?”
I breathed out a long, steady breath. The thrall. Of course. I’d use the thrall on her to get her to do what I wanted.
I narrowed my eyes. “Remove the curse right now, Stacy.”
“No.”
I blinked. “Remove it.”
“I don’t think so. Oh, and if you’re trying to use mind control on me, it won’t work. I put the curse on you. You can’t use any part of the curse to affect me. Them’s the rules.”
Dammit.
I blinked back tears of frustration. “Look, I know you