No!
I kick against him, using every ounce of strength to push and flail under his weight, but it’s useless. I’m a mere human against a powerful vampire.
Reaching for his face, I claw at his eyes with my nails. Foxx rips away from me, spitting blood as he screams. Taking my chance, I knee him in the groin and push at his chest, attempting to throw him off.
His weight disappears in an instant.
Sucking in a deep breath, I scramble to my feet and begin to search for my gun. My neck feels like a thousand tiny needles have been jabbed into it, shredding my muscle. My head pounds and my body aches, making every movement feel as though it’s underwater.
As a car passes, I see the glint of metal in the grass and quickly reach for it. The world spins as I bend over, nearly taking me to my knees. Fuck.How much blood did he take?
“It’s you,” a chilling voice says from my right.
Swaying on my feet, I slowly turn, clutching my gun at my side. If I can get one good shot, it’ll slow him down enough that I can at least get away.
Assuming he doesn’t drink from me again.
“You’re the friend he left Comstead with,” Foxx says, his head slanted with interest.
My sluggish brain is struggling to make sense of things. Something is wrong. “And you’re the asshole who ruined his life.”
He sneers, curling his lip in distaste. Warnings go off in the back of my head. Something is really wrong. Foxx’s face... it’s different somehow. More oval, and his hair is a little darker.
In the blink of an eye, Foxx appears before me, his eyes narrowed. He tugs down the collar of my shirt.
“What’s this?” he says, slanting his head again. I can still feel my blood oozing from where he’d bitten me. But he isn’t looking at that. He’s looking on the other side.
Anger and confusion swim in the vampire’s eyes as he stares at Jericho’s mate mark.
And that’s when it hits me.
I’ve stared at that photograph too many times to have any doubts about who Jericho’s sire is. And this man isn’t him. He’d looked like him in the club, but here…It’s not Foxx.
The subtle differences become apparent before my very eyes. His nose grows longer, his lips thinner, and his brows become bushier. He’s changing his appearance.
Who is this then?And where is Foxx?Did I lose him around the corner? Or had I followed the wrong guy? Fuck, what if Foxx is still in the club with Jericho?
“Ohh, my sire is going to love hearing about this,” the man says, confirming my suspicions. “Jericho has marked you.”
“Jericho is mine!” I say. “Foxx never had him!”
He laughs, flashing his long white fangs. “That’s where you’re wrong,human. Foxx claimed Jericho months ago. He belongs to the coven.”
“Bullshit! Foxx doesn’t own Jericho. He doesn’t own anyone! He rapes and turns people against their will, then kills them if they don’t fit his needs!”
The vampire snarls and lunges for me, his fangs sinking into my throat again. I fire the gun into his side. He jerks away, roaring with anger.
I fire again, hitting him in the leg. It’s the best I can do since my arms are too weak to lift it any higher. I fire it again and again, praying it will sound an alarm. Maybe someone—anyone—will come and help.
Overcome with exhaustion, I collapse to the ground, my head lolling. Through blurry vision, I see the vamp inspect his wound. The bullets aren’t meant to kill a vampire, they only slow them down. But either way, I’m screwed. This guy could be as slow as a turtle and still overpower me. I’m fading fast.
Am I going to die?
My heart breaks into a million pieces. All I can think about is Jericho and how unfair it is that I’m never going to see his beautiful face again. I want to kiss him one more time, look into his eyes as I tellhim I love him. I’vealwaysloved Jericho Whilde, even when I was too blind to see it. He’s my person, my everything.
And I couldn’t even save him.
Fuck. I’m so sorry, Jericho. I fucked up.
