Read Online Hot Summer Bites: A Castle of Dark Dreams Novella (A Penguin Special from Berkley Sensation) by Nina Bangs - Free Book Online Page B

indignation on Taurin’s behalf. “Bummer. Not much of a brother.”
    “He was the best brother a man could have.” When Taurin glanced at her, his belief in his brother gleamed fierce in his eyes. “I was dying, and he made me vampire so I’d survive.”
    Whoa, touchy subject. “Where’s Dacian now?”
    “I don’t know. For centuries I thought he’d died in a fire that Eric had set. I stalked Eric, planning how I’d kill him. Turns out, Dacian used the fire to stage his own disappearance. If everyone thought he was dead, no one would search for him.” He shrugged. “I just got back from trying to find him. No luck.”
    Kristin had never thought of herself as particularly sensitive to the emotions of others, but she recognized the hurt that lay beneath his casual shrug, a deep well of regret that the brother he loved had chosen to walk away from him. She felt Taurin’s pain as a surprising stab of sorrow in her own heart.
Not
what she wanted to feel. Lust was okay, because he was a spectacular male animal. But sorrow for his pain was a little deeper, a little more worrisome.
    “Umm, I have ways of finding people. Maybe I could help.” Did she just say that? No, she wouldn’t be that stupid. But it had sort of sounded like her. Well, hell.
    Hope flared in his eyes and then was gone. “Thanks, but if Dacian doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.” He parked the car, and they got out. “I’ll see you to your room.”
    Kristin was the one who remained silent all the way to her door. He didn’t realize it, but he’d thrown down a gauntlet. Once she was alone, she’d get on her laptop and see what she could find out about Dacian. . . . “What’s your last name? You never mentioned it.” She unlocked her door, pushed it open, and then stood in the doorway waiting for his answer.
    He stared at her for a little too long. A squiggle of unease worked its way up her spine.
    She recognized the exact moment he decided to tell her. His smile was all wicked anticipation.
    “My last name is Veris.” Turning away, he disappeared down the dark stairway.
    Calmly, she stepped into her room, closed the door, and then leaned her forehead against it.
    “Wonderful.”

Chapter Five
    Taurin slammed out of his room and headed for the stairs to the great hall. He’d messed up big-time. What the hell had he been thinking last night? Just for the momentary joy of watching the expression on Kristin’s face, he’d played his trump card. He’d told her his last name.
    How dumb was that? Taurin didn’t think she’d leave. She wanted her freakin’ story too much. But she wouldn’t want to get it from him. He could see her taking practice swings with a lamp just in case he was crazy enough to show up at her door. Yeah, she’d be pissed. He’d made her life miserable after she wrote that vampire story. But she’d deserved it.
    Somehow the she-deserved-it line didn’t make him feel any better. Taurin reached the great hall and looked around. He didn’t see any of his friends, but he saw something else that made him growl low in his throat—Kristin dressed in shorts and a sexy little top. And she was standing by the door talking to Banan.
    If anyone had asked him right then what color those shorts and sexy top were, he’d have said red. Taurin was seeing lots of red as he strode toward the two.
    He came to a stop facing Kristin and smiled at her. It probably wasn’t a great grin because he was preparing to duck. “Ready for tonight’s fantasy?”
    The smile she turned on him was a mere lifting of her lips with no emotion attached. “Sure. Banan showed me around the park today, so I’m ready for the night.” Her gaze gave nothing away.
    His sure did. He glared at the shark.
    The shark smiled with all his teeth on display. “Yeah, Kristin and I had a great time. She said tomorrow night we could go for a swim because she wants to see me change.”
    Over my undead body.
“Wouldn’t pencil that into your