Angel of Darkness Read Free Page B

much.
    “I’m gonna radio for backup and we’re gonna get you taken care of, okay?” The cop was right in front of her now, and Nicole realized the pounding seemed to come from him. Her eyes drifted over his face and on down the strong column of his throat. There. His pulse hammered against his flesh in a double-time beat.
    His pulse. His blood. So close.
    Her hand lifted toward him.
    “Is all that blood his, ma’am?”
    She shook her head and the move made her feel dizzy. “II think some of it’s mine.” Nicole couldn’t take her eyes off his neck. Then the ache in her mouth turned into pain, and she cried out as she slapped a hand over her lips and tasted the blood on her fingers. As she hunched over, Nicole’s hair formed a curtain over her face, blocking her from the cop’s view.
    The blood slipped into her mouth.
    More.
    The cop reached for her. She snarled as she jumped forward. Something wild and desperate broke loose inside of her. She grabbed the cop’s throat and pushed him back, back. Nicole slammed him into the alley wall.
    “Lady, lady what the hell?”
    That pounding was even faster now.
    “S-sorry ...” The word sounded funny. When had she gotten a lisp? And what was she doing? He was a cop, she couldn’t—
    “What’s wrong with your teeth?” He demanded, and he was fighting her, pushing and shoving, but she barely felt his struggles.
    The beat of his heart drowned out his voice. She leaned in closer, so thirsty— no, hungry —and she just needed to bite.
    Her teeth sank into his throat. His blood spilled onto her tongue, and it was good. Better than good. The best thing she’d ever had in her life. Warm and hot; life, and it was—
    Nicole staggered back, gagging, horrified as she fought through the blinding hunger. No, no. This wasn’t right.
    The cop watched her with terror filling his brown eyes.
    “I-I’m sorry!” She’d attacked him and shoved him against the dirty wall, just like—
    Just like that bastard did to me. She’d even bitten the guy. Her tongue ran over her lips and felt the too-long and too-sharp points of her teeth. No.
    She’d bit him and drank his blood. Drank his freaking blood!
    Nicole backed up, quickly, trying to get away from the sight and smell of the cop’s blood. His blood tempted her and right then what she wanted more than anything was— another bite.
    She tripped over the body and crashed hard onto the ground. Her attacker’s body was so stiff and hard, as if he’d been dead for hours. But, no, wait, it had been just moments. She hadn’t been out that long, so ...
    “Don’t move.”
    The cop had lost his flashlight, but she could see him perfectly in the dim lamplight. He had his gun out and aimed at her.
    “I don’t know what the fuck you are, lady, but I’ll put a bullet in your heart if you come at me again.”
    I don’t know what the fuck you are.
    Fear had her heart racing because she didn’t know, either.
    The hunger was ripping her apart. One more drink, one more ...
    She had to get away from the cop. If she didn’t, Nicole was very afraid that even the threat of a bullet wouldn’t keep her from his throat.
    She’d never hurt anyone in her life, until tonight. Now one man was dead and another man’s throat was torn open and his blood tempted her.
    She pushed to her feet.
    “Don’t move.” His gun trembled a bit. “Unless you want a bullet in your chest, just ... don’t ... move.” He expelled a rough rasp of air. “Hell, you did this same routine on that poor bastard, didn’t you? You lured him in here, then went right for his throat.”
    No. He’d gone for hers. He’d attacked with dark eyes and fangs like some bad horror movie vampire or something.
    Vampire.
    Her body iced.
    Fangs. Blood. Thirst.
    No. No!
    I don’t know what the fuck you are.
    That damn pounding filled her ears. Calling. Urging her to take another bite.
    Escape. She wasn’t going to kill a cop. She wasn’t drinking blood! Nicole spun away and