A Hunters Promise Read Free Page B

the small living room of his small home. Oh yes, he deserved bigger and better. “My family doesn’t like to speak of Aislinn. Her…condition is upsetting to us. My parents have spared no expense in her treatment, and it hasn’t done any good.” Patrick looked away and blinked quickly as he felt tears rise up in his eyes. Damn, he was good. The acting lessons were such an amazing investment.
    “Where is she?” his companion asked. “Do your parents care for her at home?”
    “No, there is no way they could manage that. She’s quite difficult. The private hospital makes sure she is well taken care of.” For what his parents paid, he thought bitterly, the place had better. Every year that crazy bitch sucked up more and more of what was his. If she would just die, things would be so much better.
    “Of course, private hospital.” The man nodded. “What’s the name?”
    “I don’t know if I should tell you,” Patrick said slowly. “Aislinn is quite ill. We work very hard to protect her.” And, he thought, I’m certainly not giving you the information for free. If the man wanted her, he’d have to pay and pay big.
    “I understand,” the man said, pulling out a checkbook. “I’m quite sure I can compensate your family for the information. I imagine it’s quite expensive to keep her well cared for.”
    “It is, and the money you pay will be well spent.” On me and everything I deserve.
    A check was pushed across the table, and Patrick schooled his face so the shock wouldn’t show. The number of zeroes staggered him. Why was information on his sister worth this much? What did the man want with her? Yeah, as if he cared.
    Patrick picked up the check. “You’re quite generous, Mr. Jennings. My family thanks you. This will go a long way in providing for Aislinn. She’s at The Palms Private Treatment Facility.”
    “You are so pathetic,” the man said, shaking his head.
    “What?” Patrick asked. “How dare you?”
    “It takes so little to buy you. So little to get you to turn your sister over to a complete stranger.” He shook his head. “But then again, she’s crazy, right? She has delusions that vampires exist. So, she’s really not worthy of your protection.”
    Patrick leaped to his feet. “You can leave now. I will not sit here and allow you to insult me in my own home.”
    “But you’re not tossing the money back in my face,” the other man stood, “are you?”
    “Get out,” Patrick ordered.
    The man laughed. As he did, Patrick noticed there was something wrong with his teeth. In the place of the canines were…fangs? Patrick blinked. That wasn’t right. Maybe he’d had too much to drink and was imagining it. That was it. It had to be. Vampires were something his sister imagined. Not him.
    The man calling himself Mr. Jennings smiled, and he indeed sported fangs. Patrick shook his head. The man was as crazy as his sister. No, crazier, since she only imagined she saw vampires. Did this man think he was one?
    “I don’t think I’m a vampire. I know I’m one, and in a moment, you will know it too.” The man stepped toward Patrick. “It’s too bad you won’t be able to tell your sister she was right. But then she doesn’t need you, does she?”
    In a split second, Patrick was lifted off the ground and began to scream as Mr. Jennings bit into his throat and began to drink.
    * * * *
    Aislinn stood at the side of her bed, putting her weapon together. For the last three nights, she hadn’t seen her trainer and tried not to think about it. In the months since she’d met him, he had come pretty much every night to work with her. The one time he missed, he’d told her ahead of time he wouldn’t be there. But, this time, he just didn’t show up. At first, she’d been really worried, but had to force that down. He didn’t owe anything to her. He was nothing to her. She couldn’t allow herself, wouldn’t allow herself, to care. Anything she’d ever had, had been taken from her.