Blood Bound by V. J. Devereaux

Author:V. J. Devereaux [Devereaux, V. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amazon
Published: 2013-01-30T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

A hand appeared before Rafi’s eyes, turning a single white rose between strong, agile fingers. Warm buttery yellow seemed to glow in heart of the flower. Julian’s aftershave enveloped her. Rafi took a deep breath, drawing in the slightly spicy sent of it as she turned her head to look up at him with a smile. The files had been putting her to sleep, or she’d have heard him coming.

“Julian,” she said, delighted, looking up at him, aware of a dozen eyes watching her as she took the offered rose. “What are you doing here?”

It was unusual. Remembering the rumors of the vampire hunter she looked at him. “Nothing’s happened, has it?”

As perfectly dressed as always he sat on the edge of her desk and shook his head. “Nothing. All our people are being careful, traveling only in groups. Other than that one incident…” an attempted kidnapping that might have been a domestic, “there’s been nothing.”

Rafi let out a sigh of relief.

With a slight frown at the memory, he said, quietly, “I was called down. A small problem of a newly made vampire. Apparently he ‘persuaded’ a girl he was attracted to into allowing him to feed on her. Even though by her own admission the girl was interested, it’s little better than rape to use his abilities that way.”

Abilities that had once been necessary for survival, the ability to exert one’s mind to influence another had enabled more than one vampire to escape certain death. It required will and determination, or, in this case, a victim who’d wanted to be persuaded and a vampire willing to do so.

Over the centuries it had been used and misused but there was little need for such talents in these times. Even so, there were always repercussions.

His mouth tightened.

“Now, knowing what he did and what he’s capable of, she’s not. The judge will plead it down to a misdemeanor in much the same way as those who use date rape drugs, but even so, we didn’t need this now. Not with vampire hunters around. It will just inflame those who were looking for an excuse anyway.”

Anger moved in him. “The one who made him should have taught him better. I’ll be talking to her as well.”

Julian tightened his jaw and shook his head.

He’d needed something to clear away the memory, to calm him down. Since he was downtown and in police headquarters… It had only taken a question or two to determine that Rafi was in the building and then to find a nearby florist. Symbol of pure love, the single white rose was perfect, especially as he watched Rafi breathe in the scent of it, her own stiff shoulders and creased brow relaxing. She faced difficulties every day that he could imagine only too well, remembering centuries when law and order had been nonexistent, but some days were worse than others. This seemed one of them.

“I remembered you said you’d be working on old files unless something came up so I thought I’d stop by and see if I could persuade you to run away with me.

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