Page 46 of Bound by Vengeance
“Have you noticed anything different inthese tunnels? Have you heard anything unusual?” Vickyinquired.
The two women exchanged a glance. Their blueeyes and facial structure were similar enough that Vicky suspectedthey were sisters; the third one was most likely family too. Sheblinked away the tears burning her eyes at the thought ofanyof her sisters being so scared, or living in a placelike this.
She’d like to say it was impossible, that afate like this would never happen to a member of her family, but ithad happened already, toher.
Not too long ago, she hadn’t looked muchbetter than these women. The fact she was a vampire and been giventime to heal and feed had bounced her back to her old form, butthese women wouldn’t be so fortunate.
“We don’t go out often,” the second womanreplied in a voice as dry as a worm baking on a sidewalk inJuly.
“We don’t talk with others down here; weavoid them,” the third one whispered from the shadows.
Vicky crept closer to them.
Slick.The first woman’s blade slidfree of its holster.
Vicky stopped ten feet away and dipped intoher pocket. She’d made sure to bring enough money to give thosethey encountered something for their help.
Turning, she kept her back to the women asshe removed three fifty-dollar bills, repocketed the money andfaced them. She wasn’t concerned that they, or anyone else downhere, would jump her for her money; she could handle any human and,after all her training, more than her fair share of vampires.However, she couldn’t flash a bunch of money around those who hadso little.
Kneeling, she placed the money on theground. “Thank you for your help.”
The third one’s face reemerged from theshadows. Her blue eyes matched those of her sisters’.
“Duncan told me Sister offered you a placeto stay. You should go. They’ll protect and feed you. They’re goodpeople, and the children could always use more love, so could you.I know you’re afraid, but it’s not safe here, and there is alwayssafety in numbers, especially in this world,” Vicky said.
Pushing the money toward them, Vicky roseand walked over to rejoin Duncan. From behind her, she heard one ofthe women scurry forward to claim the money. She hoped they wouldheed her words, but she doubted it.
She fell into step beside Duncan as theymade their way through the tunnels and on toward the next stop ontheir route.
CHAPTER 21
“You have a hot date?” Declan asked whenNathan rechecked his phone on their way from one club toanother.
“No,” Nathan replied and returned his phoneto his pocket.
He could feel Asher’s eyes burning into himfrom the back seat, but Nathan steadfastly ignored his friend as hestared out the windshield. Declan glanced at him from where he satin the driver’s seat, his brow furrowed.
“Going to the clubs is getting us nowhere,”he said to distract Declan and Asher from their inspection ofhim.
Vicky is underground; he remindedhimself.There is no cell service in the sewers.
“Any better ideas, loverboy?” Luciendrawled.
“Yeah, you can go fuck yourself,” Nathanretorted.
Lucien smirked, making it clear he’d knownwhat Nathan was attempting to do with the others and wasn’t havingit.
“Any ideas?” Asher asked.
Nathan didn’t have any. From the report he’dreceived this morning from those who had hunted last night, some ofhis men had gone with Killean and Saxon to speak with the homelessagain, while Ronan and some vampire trainees hit a few vamp barswith no new word.
“How could a vampire, who was a thorn inallour sides, just disappear?” Nathan muttered.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and hepulled it out. On the screen, he saw Vicky’s name and the message:All is good. No luck so far. Bad reception. Stay safe. Talk whenI’m above ground.
He didn’t acknowledge Declan’s questioningglance when he typed a response and returned his phone to hispocket.
“The police reports were checked four daysago,” he murmured. Some of the vamps went to the police stations atnight, and using their mind control abilities, they were able tolearn more from the police reports than the newspapersrevealed.
