Read Online Caleb by Sarah McCarty - Free Book Online Page A

unknown. She clenched her fingers over
his, but it didn’t help with the truth he spit out on a hoarse growl.
    “I’m
a goddamn vampire and in a little while, you will be, too.”
    The
shocking claim echoed around inside her head, veracity bleeding through each
syllable, making everything she knew to be fact just jumbled bits of scattered
reality. Vampire? Impossible to believe, horrifying to absorb, yet
somehow, snapping into that empty place in her memory with irrefutable
rightness. Oh God. Oh God.
    “Is
that answer enough for you?” he bit off.
    She
released his hand, pressed back into the bed, and inched to the far edge.
“Absolutely.”
5
    SO maybe she wasn’t as open-minded as she’d thought she
was, because she wasn’t taking Caleb’s announcement of vampirism with the same
equanimity with which she would have taken a statement of homosexuality. And
considering the hots she had for his body, a declaration that he was gay would
have kicked up quite a ruckus with her hormones. “Turn on the light.”
    “You
don’t need light.”
    Like
hell she didn’t. “Turn on the light.”
    She
wanted to see his face when she asked her questions.
    His
hand covered her eyes a split second before there was a click and then light
flared. The burn to her eyes was incredible, even shielded. Tears poured down
her cheeks. She pushed at his hand, wanting to see his face. Was he the same,
or some monster caricature of himself? What in hell did a vampire look like
anyway? What did she look like? Why did she even care if this was a dream?
    His
hand didn’t budge and even though she didn’t voice her question, he answered.
“You’re the same as always.”
    “I’ll
believe that when I see it.” If she could see it. Weren’t vampires supposed to
be unable to produce a reflected image?
    “You
can see your reflection.”
    “Not
if you don’t take your hand off my eyes.”
    “Your
eyes are still too sensitive for any light. You’re going through the change.”
    She
had an awful suspicion that the last phrase didn’t mean for him what it meant
for her. “I assume you’re not talking menopause here.”
    “No.”
    Her breath
came faster, harder. Allie quit trying to move his hand off her face. Breaks
she didn’t want him to hear peppered her order. “I think . . . you owe me a bit
. . . more elaboration.”
    His
hand twitched, and she froze. Any more light than the shadow she saw and she’d
go out of her mind from the agony. In a lot of ways, this dream really sucked.
She much preferred the ones where they were both naked and the only pain she
experienced was from screaming herself hoarse as a result of multiple orgasms.
    “Your
ability to adjust to light will kick in when the change is over.”
    “Your
optimistic side is showing again.” She waved her hand in the air. “Turn off the
light.”
    To
his credit, Caleb didn’t say “I told you so.” He just flipped the switch and
let the darkness roll over her in a soothing balm.
    “How
am I supposed to get around if I can’t see in the dark and can’t bear the
light?”
    “The
halfway stage is not permanent.”
    Halfway,
did that mean this could be reversed? “Can I go back?”
    “The
only out is death.”
    Great.
So much for the easy way. “Do I have a choice?”
    “No.”
The air around them filled with a relentless energy that felt like the edge of
steel pressing into her mind. “I won’t let you die.”
    She
pushed back against that invisible force, gaining nothing but a return of the
knifing pain in her head. “I might not give you a choice.”
    His
hand returned to her throat, wrapping around it, the fingers pressing on her
pulse point. The steel in his voice threaded his drawl. “You don’t get to
decide.”
    That
was too much. “Are you threatening me?”
    “I’m
merely telling you how it’s going to be.”
    With
his hand on her throat, he was telling her he wouldn’t let her die? Oh yeah,
that made sense. She touched her fingertips to the