Inside, she found four rings with knives attached to each and a ruby in the center of the ring. “Impressive. Do you know how to use them?”
“I broke the others, so yes.”
Katie quickly folded the cloth back together. She disliked looking at the lethal rings. Kyle had forced her to wear them on occasion when they fought. The first time she’d wore them, she’d thrown a punch and the sharp blade, though small, sliced his flesh wide open. He winced in pain, but continued his assault. He wanted her to learn the cuts meant nothing and the enemy would still come after her. She fought back, swinging more hard punches. The knives tore through him. By the time their quarrel ended hours later, they were both covered in blood and weak. The memory made her stomach churn.
“Is this it?” The question sounded as if her weapons weren’t good enough for him.
“I’ll check the cellar tomorrow.”
She tucked the pouch with the rings into her purse. The lethal rings were coming with her everywhere where they were within quick reach if she ever needed them.
“This will do until then,” he said as he tucked the black cloth back inside the inner part of the spare tire.
“Does this mean you’ll help me?”
“It’s late. We need to go.” He closed the trunk lid with a low thump, then headed for the driver’s side without another word.
Katie sighed as she walked around the car to the passenger side. Why couldn’t he answer her simple question? If he wasn’t going to assist her, then there was no point of him hanging around.
Minutes after she returned to her seat, they were on a road, heading for the Interstate.
Katie quickly read the signs. “You’ll want to take the–”
“I know the way,” he said, then glanced at her. “I studied maps while I was waiting for you.”
Katie twisted to face him and crossed her arms. His cold arrogance was a quality she detested, but the vamp had brains and brawn. Those two traits she needed to help her achieve her goal.
“You never answered my question,” she said, staring at his angular nose from the side. His forehead seemed rather big too, but his long hair could’ve made it appear that way.
“I made a promise to Kyle.” He kept his gaze at the front window.
“Which is?”
“To protect you.”
“I don’t need protection. I can take care of myself.”
The corner of his mouth twitched.
“What?”
He glanced at her. “He said you’d say that.”
Prick.
She turned away from him as questions surfaced in her mind. Why did Kyle ask him to protect her? Why did Riker agree? Did Kyle force him? All were on the tip of her tongue to ask, but first she wanted his agreement to assist her.
“Look, I’m asking nicely… Will you help me catch the vamp who destroyed Kyle?”
He stared out the front window, not blinking or moving the slightest inch. Katie waited for him to say something. When he didn’t she added, “If you refuse, that’s fine. I’ll go after the creep myself. I figure I have a few days before he leaves.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Katie’s hope of gaining his assistance dwindled.
“I see two problems with your request,” he said.
Her mood perked up. He had listened and considered her appeal. She faced him with a curious gaze. “What problems?”
“First and foremost, you’re human and your revenge will get you killed.”
“My problem, not yours,” she said flatly.
“It is my problem since I made a promise to Kyle.”
His loud and deep tone grabbed her attention. She adjusted her attitude to a more polite and kind one.
“He’s not here anymore.” She lowered her eyes. If his vow to Kyle prevented him from helping her, then she could possibly end up six feet in the ground. “What is the second issue you have?”
“The vampire who extinguished him is probably looking for you.”
“I don’t see how. Everything was under Kyle’s name.”
Riker slid his eyes from the road to her. “Do you really think your
“I broke the others, so yes.”
Katie quickly folded the cloth back together. She disliked looking at the lethal rings. Kyle had forced her to wear them on occasion when they fought. The first time she’d wore them, she’d thrown a punch and the sharp blade, though small, sliced his flesh wide open. He winced in pain, but continued his assault. He wanted her to learn the cuts meant nothing and the enemy would still come after her. She fought back, swinging more hard punches. The knives tore through him. By the time their quarrel ended hours later, they were both covered in blood and weak. The memory made her stomach churn.
“Is this it?” The question sounded as if her weapons weren’t good enough for him.
“I’ll check the cellar tomorrow.”
She tucked the pouch with the rings into her purse. The lethal rings were coming with her everywhere where they were within quick reach if she ever needed them.
“This will do until then,” he said as he tucked the black cloth back inside the inner part of the spare tire.
“Does this mean you’ll help me?”
“It’s late. We need to go.” He closed the trunk lid with a low thump, then headed for the driver’s side without another word.
Katie sighed as she walked around the car to the passenger side. Why couldn’t he answer her simple question? If he wasn’t going to assist her, then there was no point of him hanging around.
Minutes after she returned to her seat, they were on a road, heading for the Interstate.
Katie quickly read the signs. “You’ll want to take the–”
“I know the way,” he said, then glanced at her. “I studied maps while I was waiting for you.”
Katie twisted to face him and crossed her arms. His cold arrogance was a quality she detested, but the vamp had brains and brawn. Those two traits she needed to help her achieve her goal.
“You never answered my question,” she said, staring at his angular nose from the side. His forehead seemed rather big too, but his long hair could’ve made it appear that way.
“I made a promise to Kyle.” He kept his gaze at the front window.
“Which is?”
“To protect you.”
“I don’t need protection. I can take care of myself.”
The corner of his mouth twitched.
“What?”
He glanced at her. “He said you’d say that.”
Prick.
She turned away from him as questions surfaced in her mind. Why did Kyle ask him to protect her? Why did Riker agree? Did Kyle force him? All were on the tip of her tongue to ask, but first she wanted his agreement to assist her.
“Look, I’m asking nicely… Will you help me catch the vamp who destroyed Kyle?”
He stared out the front window, not blinking or moving the slightest inch. Katie waited for him to say something. When he didn’t she added, “If you refuse, that’s fine. I’ll go after the creep myself. I figure I have a few days before he leaves.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Katie’s hope of gaining his assistance dwindled.
“I see two problems with your request,” he said.
Her mood perked up. He had listened and considered her appeal. She faced him with a curious gaze. “What problems?”
“First and foremost, you’re human and your revenge will get you killed.”
“My problem, not yours,” she said flatly.
“It is my problem since I made a promise to Kyle.”
His loud and deep tone grabbed her attention. She adjusted her attitude to a more polite and kind one.
“He’s not here anymore.” She lowered her eyes. If his vow to Kyle prevented him from helping her, then she could possibly end up six feet in the ground. “What is the second issue you have?”
“The vampire who extinguished him is probably looking for you.”
“I don’t see how. Everything was under Kyle’s name.”
Riker slid his eyes from the road to her. “Do you really think your
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