Dark Fire by Christine Feehan. Dark Series – book 6

Tempest remained silent while the waiter placed their plates in front of them. Immediately her stomach lurched at the overwhelming odor of food. She was no longer able to eat anything without Darius’s aid. Her insides had changed somehow. She didn’t know how she knew it, but she knew. It was the same as her enhanced hearing and eyesight.

“I can’t help but notice that you aren’t shocked and horrified at the idea that vampire-hunters are after you. Why is that?” Cullen’s blue eyes were serious, almost accusing. “Why is that you aren’t scoffing at the very idea of vampires?” he demanded.

Tempest indicated the picture. “Brodrick was always intimating that he thought Desari was a vampire. I thought he was an isolated nutcase, but now I can see he was part of a bigger organization. Why in the world did they settle on Desari? She’s so sweet to everyone. Why would they believe such a weird thing about her?”

“Her nocturnal habits. Her mesmerizing voice. And when they sent an organized paramilitary hit squad after her, she somehow managed to escape, while the’soldiers’ died or disappeared. These people were professional killers. They sprayed the stage with automatic gunfire, yet she escaped death.”

“That’s it? That’s why she’s a vampire?” She wanted to believe he was making up the entire thing, but she knew, deep in her heart, that he wasn’t.

“She stays up all night; no one has ever seen her during the day.”

“I’ve seen her during the day,” Tempest lied valiantly. She was becoming agitated. She couldn’t afford to get upset. Darius was so attuned to her, she knew it would disturb his sleep, and she was worried about his health since she had observed his family’s concern.

Cullen shifted position in the straight-backed chair and regarded her steadily. He shook his head and sighed as he picked up his fork. “You’re going to die, Tempest. And it won’t be an easy death. Damn it, why won’t you listen to me? I swear to you, I’m telling the truth.”

“I believe you. I don’t know why I believe you, it’s so absurd, but I do. I’m even fairly certain you aren’t trying to lure me into going with you to put me in their hands.” Tempest fiddled with her glass of water. She was beginning to sweat. Her head pounded. She needed to touch Darius. Just for a moment, just to assure herself he was really alive and well.

“Why don’t you let me hide you, then? We can warn Desari if you think it will help, but don’t go back there. Stay away from them,” Cullen begged her.

“Why are you doing this?” Tempest asked. “If you’re telling me the truth, your people will never forgive you for this. Why would you risk your life for me?”

Cullen stared sightlessly at the food on his place. “A long time ago I was engaged to the most wonderful woman on this earth. She was loving and gentle-there was no one quite like her. We were in San Francisco, doing the tourist thing together. She was murdered.”

Tempest felt his sorrow like a knife. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Tucker.” Tears swam in her eyes, tangling in her long lashes. “How horrible for you.”

“The police thought the murderer was a serial killer who had been terrorizing the city, but I saw it happen. The creature sank his teeth into her neck and drained her of blood. Then he threw her body down like it was so much garbage. Her blood stained his teeth and chin. He looked right at me and laughed. I knew he was going to kill me next.”

“But he didn’t.” She touched his hand, wanting to comfort him.

Cullen shook his head. When he looked at her, his eyes reflected a deep, piercing pain. “For so long I wished he had. But something or someone scared him off before he could. A light, like a comet, came streaking through the sky toward us. The vampire hissed and turned his head toward it. It was like watching a repulsive reptile move, that slow, undulating way snakes have. Then he literally dissolved in front of my eyes and streamed away from the light coming at us. I watched it chase him across the sky toward the ocean. He was the coldest, crudest thing I’d ever seen. I wanted revenge. I wanted to hunt him down, hunt down anything that even resembled him.”