Page 24 of Bloodhunter

“You should have died,” he continued, not acknowledging mywords. “But you lived, and you became mutated. The virus, my bite, andsomething inside you—something you were born with—combined to change what youwere into what you are.”

“I’m human,” I said, my voice hard. “That’s all I am.”

“Certainly not all you are,” he chided. “And you know that. AsI said, you were activated. I activated you. And that means one thing. Whetheryou will accept it or not, you are mine, Trinity. And I…I am yours.”

Chapter Eight

That last sentence came out harsh and raw and reluctant, asthough he hadn’t wanted to add it but couldn’t help himself.

I laughed, the sound rusty and fake. “I’m not yours,vampire. If I were yours, I probably wouldn’t want so badly to rip out yourheart.”

“You’re angry,” he said.

“Angry.” I widened my eyes. “Angry doesn’t begin to describeit.”

He shrugged. “You fought off the toxin in my bite, but evennow, some of it remains. I imagine it always will.” He leaned forward slightly,then gave a tiny smile of satisfaction when I recoiled. “Humans are not meantto live through that damage.”

“How didyoufight it off? If you were bitten by sometoxic vampire, why are you walking the earth like a normal monster? Why aren’tyou out there killing humans?”

He studied me, something secretive and dark in his eyes.Finally, he spoke. “I fought off the virus because I bityou. It took mea very long time, but I triumphed. I am no longer mad, Trinity, because of you.”His voice softened and became velvety and caressing and tender. “Essentially,you saved me.”

Suddenly chilled, I shivered. “Believe me when I tell you Idid not save you on purpose,” I snarled.

He nodded. “I realize that, of course.” He hesitated. “Itold you I need your help. This world needs your help. You can give the truedeath. You can stake vampires. You can kill us. I watched you with the vampirebehind the bar. You killed him. The humans like to call your kind hunters.Exterminators. Butchers. But my people have a different name for you.”

“Yes?” I asked, curious despite myself. “What do you call mykind?”

“Death,” he said. “We call you Death.”

My cell rang again, and though I fully expected I wasgetting another call from an irate Angus, Miriam’s name was the one on thedisplay.

I looked up when Amias spoke. “They will protect you,” hesaid. “Those in Bay Town. Let them surround you. With all of us at your back,you will be safe as we can make you.”

The cell stopped ringing as I held it, undecided. “Safe fromwhat?”

“They will come. You killed one of us, and the news willspread rapidly. You will be hunted. In danger.” He walked to me, and even as Iheld up my hands and flinched, he knelt before me. “There is no happy afterlifefor us, Trinity. Only a great, empty despair. This life is all we have and wecling to it with a greediness you will never understand. You can take this lifefrom us, so we will try to kill you. For the rest of your life, we will try tokill you. You think you hate us? It is nothing compared with what we feel foryou. For your kind.”

I was frozen in place. My heart slammed against my ribs andmy breath whooshed from my lungs. I could not look away from the sincerity inhis eyes. “We?” I squeaked.

He shook his head, impatient. “Vampires.Iwill nothurt you.” His jaw knotted as he clenched his teeth. “Can you possibly not knowthat yet?”

“What do you want from me?” I whispered.

He grabbed my hands. “For centuries, those of us who remainhealthy immediately wrap the sick in silver and bury them deeply in theground.” He paused, and when he continued, I heard the grief in his voice.Something even deeper and darker than grief. Something that I, in all mysorrow, had never felt. “But they are aware, even in their sickness. They liethere struggling, starving, alone. For centuries, in traps they cannot escape.But they do not die. I want you to kill the carriers. The diseased. It will bea mercy.”

Maybe he shouldn’t have added that last bit, because I hadno desire at all to show mercy to vampires. But in killing them, I would alsobe saving human lives. It was a no brainer. OfcourseI’d kill them.

“Iwillkill them,” I said. I yanked my hands fromhis grip, and then rubbed them on my jeans, as though that might somehow rid meof the lingering feel of him. “I will kill the carriers, and I will kill theregulars.” I leaned forward and got in his face. “I will kill you all.”

“Trinity,” he said, mournfully, then with a fluid speed Icould barely follow, he stood. “I left a gift on your bed. I walked throughhell to steal it for you. If it accepts you, it will be the only weapon youwill ever need. Its name is Silverlight. Guard her well. She will kill theworld for you.”

Before I could process his words, he rushed to the window—withoutappearing to rush—shoved up the window, and was gone.

I was on the fourth floor.

By the time I got to the window, there was no sign of him. Irealized he couldn’t have come in through the main entrance because I wasn’tthe only one who lived in the building. He might not have needed my permissionto enter my apartment, but he would have needed permission to enter thebuilding.

I slammed the window shut against Old Man Winter, who wasbeing quite the bastard, then cranked up the thermostat.