BloodlustandMetal Read Free Page B

this question, she looked up and noticed me.
When her eyes found mine, I froze. Not only did I feel as if I was caught doing
something wrong, but something else made my chest tighten. Her dark, inquisitive
eyes searched mine as if trying to figure out my secrets. Beyond making me
aware that she might be more difficult to capture than a typical human, I was
also now aware of parts of my body responding to her inquisitive gaze. My lips
felt parched and I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs.
    She was a vampire and vampires had that special ability to
mesmerize humans, but I’m not human so she shouldn’t have any effect on me. So
what exactly was going on?
    Another part of me, the one that was former military and
current bounty hunter, kicked in. Take control of the situation and seize
any opportunity. Use whatever options you have to your advantage.
    Now that she’d seen me staring, I’d play the part of a fan
idolizing a band. I walked directly up to her and ignored the people around
her. I didn’t recognize them as the band members onstage so this might work.
    “Hi!” I said in an excited voice. “I just wanted to say how
great you were tonight.” As her eyes focused on mine, I was drawn in to them.
They weren’t black as I thought from a distance, but a rich brown the color of
hot chocolate on the outer edge fading to a honey-brown toward the pupil. I’d
never seen eyes like that. Could humans even perceive how Layla’s eyes appeared
different from theirs? Utterly spectacular. Her eyes flashed excitement and
hinted at mystery all at the same time. I looked away briefly to break the eye
contact.
    Vampire eyes, vampire eyes , I chanted in my head in
an effort to avoid them.
    If she was trying to mesmerize me with her vampire charms,
it was working. No, I was a shapeshifter, I reminded myself. Vampire tricks
that worked on ordinary humans wouldn’t work on my kind. I focused on a bottle
of whiskey behind the bar, took a deep breath to refocus and looked at her
again.
    “Thanks,” she said, flashing me a megawatt smile that
disarmed me once again. Her teeth were perfectly white, even and gleaming,
showing no signs of fangs. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
    Whether she was sincere or could see right through me and
was playing along, I had no idea so I kept going with my act.
    “I’d never seen you guys play before and I’m so glad I came
tonight. I had a smashing time.”
    “What’s your name?”
    “Devon.”
    “I’m Angelica.”
    No, you’re not. You’re Layla Costa. I know who you are
and why you’re on the run. You’re nothing more than a common thief. I
nodded like a devoted fan. “I know.”
    “Devon, you’re British?”
    “Yes. I live in London.”
    When she laughed, the sound was almost musical.
    Vampire trait , I told myself. Don’t be taken in.
    “I hope you didn’t fly all the way to the US just to see us
play.”
    “Not exactly.” I didn’t come to see the band, but I did
come especially for you.
    “So what brings you over to this side of the pond?”
    “Oh, you know, I like to travel. You ever go to England?”
    “Not yet. I’d like to.”
    Liar. You lived there for years.
    She glanced at my arms. “Sick tattoos.”
    “Thanks.”
    “You get all those in England?”
    “Most. I travel a lot.”
    “For business or pleasure?”
    “A bit of both.”
    “Interesting. What do you do for a living?”
    Hunt down criminals like you.
    A question I would avoid answering directly. “I’m
self-employed.”
    She nodded slowly as if assessing my evasive reply. I still
couldn’t figure out if my shtick was working. Was she humoring me as a fan? Or
on to my ruse and playing with me? Time to turn the focus back to her.
    “Would you mind giving me your autograph?”
    “You have pen and paper?”
    I looked in my pockets even though I knew I didn’t have
them. “No.”
    “Go buy a shirt or CD or something and find me later.”
    I smiled graciously and walked away.
    That didn’t