Forever Claimed. Rachel Lee

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СКАЧАТЬ us what you are.”

      “I’m a human,” Dani said, catching herself just before she revealed more by saying she was a normal. “Can’t you smell it, bloodsucker?”

      He shrugged and turned his head away from her, as if losing interest. That offended her, that he considered her such a small threat he could ignore her. Even if it was true.

      The woman, Terri, reached out and touched her gently on the arm. Dani pulled back.

      “Let me explain some things,” Terri said. “That man over there? That’s Jude, and he’s my husband. Whatever you may think about vampires, he doesn’t condone what happened to you, and now I’ll have to endure the anxiety while he sets out to hunt those who hurt you.”

      Almost in spite of herself, Dani looked at her. “What are you talking about?”

      “Jude,” said the other woman, “is a bit of an avenger. He usually deals with demons, but now I’m quite sure he’s going to look for the rogues who attacked you.”

      “Chloe,” the dark one called Jude said in a warning tone.

      “Well, it’s true, boss. Besides, you’re not going to be able to avoid looking for them, not with the news that St. Just brought us.”

      Jude frowned at her, but said nothing.

      The blond one suddenly rose and in an instant was bent over, his face inches from hers. His black-as-ebony gaze was mesmerizing, and the only way she could fight it was to pull back as far as possible.

      “She’s human,” he said, “but not quite. I don’t care what you are, ma cocotte, but I know what you were used for. You were attacked on purpose. You are a declaration of war against Jude and any other vampire who forswears harm to humans. It was simply your misfortune to be there when they decided to make the declaration. But I will tell you this, they are still out there, still hunting to create more mayhem. Since you healed, you can now attract them once again. Especially since you reek of blood.”

      Her heart skittered, and she found herself wondering what to believe.

      “Stay here until dawn. Then go home and stay there, because the attack on you is a mere taste of what these rogues intend to inflict on this entire city.”

      “Why should I believe you?”

      He shrugged and drew away. “I don’t care what you believe. I don’t even care what you do. I did what I needed to, I brought you to Jude to prove these rogues have arrived. Beyond that…” He shrugged.

      He seemed about ready to walk out the door, then he settled in the chair once again, looking angry and despairing all at once.

      Dani had to drag her gaze away, appalled that she found him so magnetic. A bloodsucker magnetic? Every fiber of her being rebelled. It came as a relief when she looked at the one called Jude and realized she didn’t feel the same pull toward him. So she wasn’t utterly lost.

      “How about some introductions,” Jude said. “I’m Jude Messenger, and you’re in my office. Terri already told you she’s my wife. This other lady is Chloe, my assistant. And that’s Luc St. Just, the one who brought you here and came to tell me the rogues are on the march. And you are?”

      She hesitated, then decided to see where this led. They had already told her she could leave. Did they really mean it?

      “Dani Makar,” she said.

      “Nice to meet you, Dani Makar,” Jude said. The two women echoed him. Luc, on the other hand, seemed to have sunk into a dark mood. He made no acknowledgment at all.

      “Luc was right,” Chloe said. “Much as I hate to admit it.” She shot daggers his way, but Luc appeared oblivious. “You’re safer going home at dawn. If vampires are going to fight, mere mortals don’t want to be in the way.”

      “But why should they fight?” Dani asked. Something was askew here and she wanted to understand it. Having been attacked once, she needed to know enough to protect herself. “You’re all the same.”

      At that, Jude laughed. A genuine laugh. “That’s about as true of us as it is of mortals. Some of us don’t believe in harming humans. Others of us would rather not control our impulses.”

      Chloe spoke again. “About seven years ago, Jude drove a group of vampires out of town because they, um …” She hesitated.

      “Overindulged?” Jude suggested with heavy sarcasm.

      “I guess you could call it that. And from what Luc tells us, they’ve come back for vengeance. They may even want to start a war between Jude’s kind of vampire and the ones who just take whatever they want.”

      “But why should you care what you do to humans?”

      At that moment Luc rejoined the conversation. “It’s simple. Life is ever so much easier for us if no one believes we exist. And the only way to ensure that is never to take what we want unless it is offered freely.”

      This was an entirely new view of vampires, and Dani was reluctant to swallow it whole. “So you wouldn’t have attacked me the way they did?”

      “Not I,” said Jude, firmly.

      “Nor I,” said Luc, his black eyes burning. “Not unless you wanted it.”

      “Why would anyone want that?”

      “You’d be surprised what some people want,” Luc said flatly. Then he stood so quickly Dani hardly saw him move.

      “Jude, I must dine.”

      At once Jude straightened and led him toward the door on the wall near the couch. He punched in a code quickly on a keypad, then swiped a card. Only then did he push the door open. The two vampires disappeared inside, leaving the three women alone.

      “Dine?” Dani repeated.

      No one answered her. Not a soul.

      Fear shuddered through her again. Her voice smaller than she would have liked, she finally said, “I’ll take those clothes.”

      She needed to get away. Now.

       Chapter 2

      Jude pulled a bag of blood out of the refrigerator in his office and passed it to Luc. He also put out a glass in case Luc didn’t want to drink from the bag.

      Luc looked at the glass, remembering the times he had drunk blood from fine crystal goblets. Times spent with Natasha.

      “What’s the story?” Jude asked.

      “I told you.”

      “No, I meant with you. Vengeance didn’t help you?”

      “It rid me of the anger.”

      “But not the rest of it.” Jude settled on a chair behind his desk, facing Luc across it. Luc finally seated himself and bit the bag open. He hesitated, then decided not to use a glass, not to СКАЧАТЬ