Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [73]
“What are you talking about?”
“Stacy told me that there used to be a bunch of nightwalkers and you helped the hunters kill them all. Is that the truth?” It sounded so horrible as I said it I almost wanted to take it back. Why would I believe anything that witch told me?
“You aren’t truly a nightwalker,” he said simply and quietly.
“I have the symptoms.”
“It doesn’t matter. You are currently cursed. That is all. It doesn’t change you from who you were originally.”
“So are you trying to say that she was lying about the nightwalkers?”
“The nightwalkers were indiscriminate killers,” Thierry said. “Focused on feeding and violence. They were an unfortunate by-product of vampirism—a rare mutation of the vampire virus that fortunately no longer exists. There weren’t that many with this affliction. A few hundred at the most.”
“The Red Devil told me that they had objects to make them able to go out during the day.”
“The Red Devil told you that, did he?” There was a borderline mocking tone to Thierry’s words I didn’t particularly care for. “Then it must be the truth. He seems very trustworthy for you to be meeting him in parks without my knowledge.”
“I didn’t meet him there. He just showed up.”
“He is an impostor.” His expression darkened.
“You’re right.”
His eyebrows went up. “You’re agreeing with me? This is a switch.”
I crossed my arms. “He’s human. I could tell when I got close enough.”
“Human?” He seemed surprised. “I didn’t expect that. But I do know that he’s dangerous. Did he give you any indication what his plans include?”
“No.”
“So he told you about this object a nightwalker can use.”
“Maybe he was making it up.” I absently touched my neck.
Thierry glanced at my throat, at the marks his fangs had left behind when we were literally necking earlier. “It’s dangerous to be alone like this. For you.”
“I’m feeling okay at the moment. The shots I did earlier must have helped with my… my hunger.”
“I will be very careful and constantly vigilant of my own… hungers.” His jaw was tight. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Sarah.”
“I know that.”
“And you have no reason to fear that I would eliminate you because of these symptoms you now display. I don’t look at you as a nightwalker. I am not proud of what I had to do in the past to get rid of the threat. Nightwalkers are mostly to blame for vampires’ being considered monsters by hunters and humans alike. Of course there are vampires who are evil due to their destructive nature, but they have made the choice to be that way. The nightwalkers were all evil. I saw what they were capable of with my own eyes, Sarah. It was horrific.”
“So you did what you did to save other people.”
“Yes.”
I hugged him and he tensed at my touch. “Don’t worry,” I whispered. “I won’t kiss you. That seems to be what triggers it.”
He leaned back and looked down into my eyes. “The thought of not being able to kiss you again is not a pleasant one.”
I leaned back and grinned up at him. “I know. I am a fantastic kisser.”
His lips twitched into a sad smile. “There was a time, Sarah, that I thought myself a very noble man who did things and made choices to help others. Now, after all this time has passed, I find that the only thing I care about is right here.”
“The club?”
He shook his head. “You. I care about your safety and your happiness. Both, however, are currently compromised by this curse and the presence of the Red Devil impostor, and I will do everything in my power to help you.”
I ran my hands down his warm, firm chest. “Keep talking like that and I’m going to kiss you. And that wouldn’t be a good thing.”
“No.” He studied my lips. “It wouldn’t be.”
“I’ll have to start writing you IOUs.”
“An excellent suggestion.”
I swallowed. “I should probably mention that Veronique called earlier. She got the annulment papers and she is freaking out over them.”
He raised a dark eyebrow. “Veronique is freaking out? I don’t believe Veronique has ever freaked out about anything before.”
“She’s not happy and she doesn’t want to sign. She