Read Online Savannah Past Midnight by Christine Edwards - Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Edwards
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darlin’, I was there, was
part of it, and from this moment forward I’m choosin’ to make your
safety my business. You’re into some heavy shit, baby, I get
that. I want the details so I can protect you.”
She looks briefly shocked before ringing laughter
erupts from her throat. “ Protect me? You … you want to protect me? Cowboy, if nothing else, you’re definitely
entertaining.”
The back of my neck burns hot in anger. In a flash I
close in on her, caging her between my arms and the high back of
the sofa.
My voice is a near growl. “I wasn’t tryin’ to
be funny, Cosette. Already warned you not to tease. Now you’re
gonna tell me what I want to know. Right fuckin’ now.”
Her eyes are watchful but unemotional—a surprising
reaction for a woman who is basically immobilized by a man twice
her size.
In the faintest whisper she asks, “Are you threatening me, Colton?”
“Baby, I’d never threaten you. Why’d you even ask
that?”
“Because you are being excessively demanding. And if
you push me too far we’re going to have an issue with each other.
An issue resulting in your immobilization.”
I’m not giving an inch on this. “You’ve got the
demanding part right; it’s just how I’m wired. You’re still
stittin’ here, meaning you can’t be too frightened of me. Now start
talkin’.”
This close to her, I can smell her scent, an
intoxicatingly beautiful smell that reminds me of the snow white
gardenias I pass by on my early morning runs near Chippewa Square.
I shake my mind clear of the pleasant distraction and continue,
“Tell me about this ‘Dire Wolf’ theory then.”
“I think that someone or something genetically
engineered them and is also controlling them.”
“What?” I whisper, astonished. She’s either mental or
on drugs.
“You heard me. Wolves or animals of any sort were
never a threat to my kind until recently. About three weeks ago,
one attacked me. I was caught off guard; it was nearly fatal. Since
then, two more incidents have occurred. Different beasts every
time. They’re exceptionally strong and intent on coming after
me.”
“How can you be certain they weren’t the same
wolf?”
“Unless a dead-as-a-doornail wolf can regenerate and
change fur color, then they were different. I took them all out.
That’s why you’re still looking at me.”
“Wait … you said, ‘your kind.’ What did you mean
by that?”
“It’s best you not know, Colton, for your
safety.”
She’s not hiding info from me. No way.
“Fuck that. I want the truth. I know you’re
different, don’t know how, but whatever it is, I can handle it.
Tell me.”
“Why don’t you tell me what you think I
am?”
I lean in closer, our faces a hair’s breadth away.
“Woman, the time for stallin’ and playin’ games is over. Two outta
three times we’ve crossed paths have been under violent
circumstances. I saw you ravage a wolf with your mouth, not to
mention roundhouse-kick a three-hundred-pound bouncer backward
through a pane of thick glass. Now I’m gonna ask you one last time,
what the fuck are you?”
She seems hesitant, but ever so slowly something
changes in her features. A look of trust emerges as she answers,
“I’m something defined as ‘other,’ something that you would never,
ever be able to comprehend, Colton. I’m what they call a vampire,
and I have been since the year 1782.”
Confusion and a cold shiver of fear ripples through
my body as I stare at her, astonished to the point of shock.
“Colton, I know what must be running through your
head—that I’m either as mad as a hatter or something along the
lines of what you’re familiar with, maybe B-movie scenes from
vampire horror flicks or something along those ridiculous lines,
right? Well, we’re nothing like that. I’m merely a different
species. One that is both rare and exceptionally deadly, given the
right set of circumstances.”
Slowly the pieces all line up perfectly in
part of it, and from this moment forward I’m choosin’ to make your
safety my business. You’re into some heavy shit, baby, I get
that. I want the details so I can protect you.”
She looks briefly shocked before ringing laughter
erupts from her throat. “ Protect me? You … you want to protect me? Cowboy, if nothing else, you’re definitely
entertaining.”
The back of my neck burns hot in anger. In a flash I
close in on her, caging her between my arms and the high back of
the sofa.
My voice is a near growl. “I wasn’t tryin’ to
be funny, Cosette. Already warned you not to tease. Now you’re
gonna tell me what I want to know. Right fuckin’ now.”
Her eyes are watchful but unemotional—a surprising
reaction for a woman who is basically immobilized by a man twice
her size.
In the faintest whisper she asks, “Are you threatening me, Colton?”
“Baby, I’d never threaten you. Why’d you even ask
that?”
“Because you are being excessively demanding. And if
you push me too far we’re going to have an issue with each other.
An issue resulting in your immobilization.”
I’m not giving an inch on this. “You’ve got the
demanding part right; it’s just how I’m wired. You’re still
stittin’ here, meaning you can’t be too frightened of me. Now start
talkin’.”
This close to her, I can smell her scent, an
intoxicatingly beautiful smell that reminds me of the snow white
gardenias I pass by on my early morning runs near Chippewa Square.
I shake my mind clear of the pleasant distraction and continue,
“Tell me about this ‘Dire Wolf’ theory then.”
“I think that someone or something genetically
engineered them and is also controlling them.”
“What?” I whisper, astonished. She’s either mental or
on drugs.
“You heard me. Wolves or animals of any sort were
never a threat to my kind until recently. About three weeks ago,
one attacked me. I was caught off guard; it was nearly fatal. Since
then, two more incidents have occurred. Different beasts every
time. They’re exceptionally strong and intent on coming after
me.”
“How can you be certain they weren’t the same
wolf?”
“Unless a dead-as-a-doornail wolf can regenerate and
change fur color, then they were different. I took them all out.
That’s why you’re still looking at me.”
“Wait … you said, ‘your kind.’ What did you mean
by that?”
“It’s best you not know, Colton, for your
safety.”
She’s not hiding info from me. No way.
“Fuck that. I want the truth. I know you’re
different, don’t know how, but whatever it is, I can handle it.
Tell me.”
“Why don’t you tell me what you think I
am?”
I lean in closer, our faces a hair’s breadth away.
“Woman, the time for stallin’ and playin’ games is over. Two outta
three times we’ve crossed paths have been under violent
circumstances. I saw you ravage a wolf with your mouth, not to
mention roundhouse-kick a three-hundred-pound bouncer backward
through a pane of thick glass. Now I’m gonna ask you one last time,
what the fuck are you?”
She seems hesitant, but ever so slowly something
changes in her features. A look of trust emerges as she answers,
“I’m something defined as ‘other,’ something that you would never,
ever be able to comprehend, Colton. I’m what they call a vampire,
and I have been since the year 1782.”
Confusion and a cold shiver of fear ripples through
my body as I stare at her, astonished to the point of shock.
“Colton, I know what must be running through your
head—that I’m either as mad as a hatter or something along the
lines of what you’re familiar with, maybe B-movie scenes from
vampire horror flicks or something along those ridiculous lines,
right? Well, we’re nothing like that. I’m merely a different
species. One that is both rare and exceptionally deadly, given the
right set of circumstances.”
Slowly the pieces all line up perfectly in
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